Perennial herb; leaves in basal clumps, large, with thick, reddish petiole, and large, heart-shaped, blades; flowers small, in a dense, elongated, terminal cluster; fruit 3-winged, reddish. Found in: Houseplant or interiorscape; landscape in vegetable gardens or as herbaceous ornamental
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Large green leaves up to 2 feet across. Red petioles which are fleshy and edible when cooked.
Flower color
Green; White
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit detail
Angular 3-winged, reddish containing one seed.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves
Edibility
Cooked leaf stalks (petioles) in pies and puree
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Edible Garden
Garden tags
#red stems #large leaves #problem for dogs #problem for horses #problem for cats #buncombe county sun and shade garden #hortcontest #edible #contact dermatitis
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Poison severity
Medium
Poison parts
Leaves; Roots
Poison symptoms
TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. Abdominal cramps, burning of mouth and throat, headache, weakness, nausea and vomiting, coma; may be fatal Kidney failure (in grazing animals), salivation in dogs/cats. Most toxic parts are leaves and roots.
Toxic principle
Anthraquinone glycosides and soluble oxalates, also possibly calcium oxylate crystals