Rhubarb for Wildlife Gardens: Who Eats It?
Rhubarb brings bold leaves and early color to any patch—but what about its role in wildlife gardens? While its stalks are a kitchen treat, rhubarb is also an underrated friend to many of your garden’s wild inhabitants. Here’s how rhubarb fits into the ecosystem—and which critters nibble, hide, or thrive thanks to this hardy perennial.
Does Wildlife Eat Rhubarb?
1. Eating the Stalks
- Very few wild animals eat rhubarb stalks, as they are extremely tart and high in oxalic acid (which deters most mammals and birds).
- In times of scarcity, rabbits or deer might sample young plants but generally avoid established stalks.
2. Rhubarb Leaves
- Leaves are toxic due to high levels of oxalic acid.
- Most animals (and all humans) find them inedible and avoid them naturally.
- Rarely, desperate slugs or snails may try older, decaying leaves—but usually prefer easier targets in the garden.
Who Benefits from Rhubarb in a Wildlife Garden?
1. Pollinators
- Bees: If allowed to flower, rhubarb’s tall, nectar-rich blooms are magnets for bumblebees and honeybees, especially in late spring.
- Hoverflies, beetles, butterflies: All stop by for shelter among the huge leaves and for pollen from flowers.
2. Predatory Insects
- Ladybirds, lacewings, ground beetles, and spiders often take cover under the sprawling leaf canopy—natural pest control armies.
3. Small Mammals & Amphibians
- Toads and frogs: Shade and damper soil beneath rhubarb leaves are ideal for amphibians, especially in hot summers.
- Hedgehogs: May nest beneath a dense rhubarb crown in wild corners.
4. Birds
- Birds may shelter under broad leaves or use the base for feeding in rain. In dry weather, foliage attracts worms for blackbirds and robins.
How to Make a Rhubarb Bed Wildlife-Friendly
- Mix in pollinator plants: Borage, alliums, mint, and wildflowers bring even more bees and bugs.
- Let some crowns flower: A bolt or two each year feeds early foragers.
- Mulch and leave fallen leaves at the back: Encourage worms and micro-life without slugs overrunning your crop.
- Skip chemicals: Allow predators and pollinators to do their work naturally.
What to Watch Out For
- Rhubarb is NOT a major food for deer, rabbits, or most rodents—it’s a safe choice for edible landscaping in rural gardens.
- Slugs and snails: May hide under leaves but usually prefer tender greens and seedlings elsewhere.
Wrapping Up
Rhubarb isn’t just good for you—it’s an anchor plant for pollinators and beneficial bugs, a shelter for small garden allies, and a natural addition to healthy, low-maintenance, wildlife-rich gardens. With the right care (and a few flowers left to bloom), your rhubarb patch will buzz, chirp, and hum through every season.