- Botanical Name
- Gunnera manicata
- Family
- Gunneraceae
- Plant Type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Size (HxW)
- 1.5-4m x 1.5-4m
- Depth & Spacing
- Plant at the same level as in the pot, where the roots meet the stem with the roots spread evenly below the soil. Allow a metre or two around the stem, you can grow smaller shade plants such as Alchemilla or Hellebores the smaller Gunnera species below them.
- Soil
- Humus rich, moist soil is ideal, boggy soils preferred. Can grow in garden soils with plenty of supplementary watering, those leaves are big and like to be hydrated.
- Aspect
- Full sun to semi shade. Shelter from cold, drying winds. It needs good light but not too much afternoon sun, you want them to stretch towards it and grow big so they can capture it.
- Climate
- Cool to Temperate
- Frost
- Hardy. Winter mulch is ideal if you get hard frost, they are tough but it won’t go astray while they are young and establishing. Sawdust is ideal or use their own leaves with a weight to keep them in place.
- Water
- It is a moisture lover. Water in well and keep moist in active growth. You can grow it on the edge of a pond/dam/stream or in on the border of a bog garden. Be wary if your pond levels vary though as it doesn’t want to be underwater in winter dormancy.
- Fertiliser
- Add an all purpose fertiliser in summer.
- Flowering Time
- Summer. While the plant is establishing you can remove them – it will then grow bigger fast as it isn’t focusing all its energy on the flowers.
- After Flower Care
- Remove spent flowers and foliage to tidy.
- Notes
- Protect new growth from slugs and snails. Harvest the seed when it browns and sow fresh – gloves are best worn for this as they have a sticky coating. In dormancy the resting buds remain visible above the soil. Come spring with amazing efficiency it is back and better than ever with fast and furious growth. The clump can gradually colonise the area. The seed is viable so be wary if planting by streams.
Giant Chilean Rhubarb
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Giant Chilean Rhubarb
Giant Chilean Rhubarb
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