Gunnera manicata forest

Gunnera Manicata Forest at Trebah Garden, Nr Falmouth, Cornwall, UK.

Gunnera manicata, or giant rhubarb, a native to South America from Colombia to Brazil, is a species of flowering plant in the Gunneraceae family. Despite the common name, this plant is not closely related to the rhubarb. However, according to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens 'Collection' page it is edible when young. Peel the leaf stems, slice and enjoy raw in salads.

This plant is also commonly found on the Isle of Arran in Scotland, where it is picked and used as umbrellas by locals traditionally on the night after the highland games.