Can rhubarb leaves be composted?

[nick the grief]

sorry to hear your sister had incontinence

[blossom]

I was set the task of finding info on if raw rubabrb is poisinous at my work, as some one bought some to give to some animals. Everything I could find said only the leaves are poisinous, the stalks are fine raw.

[blackkitty]

I always thought that the leaves are poisonous but the stalks are fine to eat raw or otherwise.
Arbitary fact of the day
A friend of mine many years ago did some research into enzymes and apparently you should never cook rhubarb and pineapple together as their enzymes react and can make you quite ill. You can cook them separatley and then mix them, I'm not sure what you would want to make with the two, but not mix them raw and then cook them. They found this out in WWII when SA sent loads of fresh pineapples over, they were a bit of a novelty and no one really knew what to do with them so a women's magazine published some recipes including a rhubarb and pineapple steamed pudding. several people were very ill

[Nicos]

I understand the roots are supposed to cure constipation

[Jaxom]

I understand the roots are supposed to cure constipation

Rhubarb was always grown for its roots, never for food. The roots are indeed a purgative that can be used to clear you out. The Victorians used great quantities of it each year. It was only after the Edwardian era that people started to eat the stalks.
Runner beans and tomatoes were only grown for their decorative appearance many years ago. Eating these crops is a recent development. Red fruit and flowers were considered dangerous. Another reason for not eating tomatoes is that they along with potatoes are part of the deadly nightshade family.
Jax

[JennieAtkinson]

I compost all my rhubarb leaves and have done for a number of years. Judging by the soil around my extensive rhubarb plot, the soil is so good, the decomposting leaves must be great!

[sewer rat]

Blackkitty
Now I'm not one to pour scorn on scientific research, but if youcannot mix rhubarb and pineapple, does that mean I have been slowly poisoning myself and my family for years with my rhubarb, pineapple and ginger jam

[blackkitty]

I can only think that its something to do with how you cook them, or maybe you have been poisoning them for years.......

[Geordie]

Rhubarb is poisonous at the top and the bottom! The leaves contain oxalic acid...which does not disappear even if cooked. Composting is fine as long as it is done over a long period. Rhubabrb also contains glycoside which is found at the bottom of the stalk....usaully the bit left after snapping from crown. This should be cut off and discarded. Glycoside is also found in foxgloves and I dont suppose you'd eat that!