Position

Sun exposure:
Dappled shade, full sun, partial shade
Aspect:
South facing, west facing

Soil

Prefers rich soil:
Boggy / Clay / Heavy / Moist

Gunnera manicata is one of the biggest and most spectacular architectural herbaceous plants, commonly known as 'giant rhubarb'. However, a study conducted by the Royal Horticultural Society has found that Gunnera manicata was actually lost to cultivation soon after it was introduced and that plants thought to be Gunnera manicata are actually a hybrid of Gunnera manicata and the invasive Gunnera tinctoria. This hybrid has now been named Gunnera × cryptica.

Sales of Gunnera manicata / Gunnera × cryptica have since been banned and gardeners with existing giant gunneras must ensure they don't let them spread beyond their gardens. Small gunneras, such as Gunnera magellanica and Gunnera perpensa, are not banned and are still legal to buy and grow in gardens.

If you have a gunnera in your garden and would like to remove it, the best thing to do is cut it back completely and then dig it out. Alternatively, to stop it spreading, simply cut flowerheads in summer before they set seed, and burn them on site or take them to an authorised landfill site or other suitable disposal site.

For a similar effect to gunnera, we recommend Rheum palmatum and Crambe cordifolia, which are not considered invasive.

Gunnera and wildlife

Gunnera has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.

Is Gunnera poisonous?

Gunnera has no toxic effects reported.

No reported toxicity to:
Is not known to attract Birds
Birds
Is not known to attract Cats
Cats
Is not known to attract Dogs
Dogs
Is not known to attract Horses
Horses
Is not known to attract Livestock
Livestock
Is not known to attract People
People
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