Plants Active during the day

Chilean rhubarb

Gunnera tinctoria

iNaturalist Wikipedia

The Chilean Rhubarb is a botanical giant, boasting leaves so large they look like they belong in a prehistoric jungle. This moisture-loving perennial can transform a damp garden corner into a dramatic, architectural landscape in just a few months.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Height up to 2.5m (8.2ft); individual leaves can reach 2m (6.6ft) in diameter

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Colors

Bright to deep green leaves; reddish-pink veins and stems; reddish-brown cone-like flower spikes

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Key Features

Massive umbrella-like leaves with serrated edges and prickly undersides
Thick, hairy, succulent-like stalks (petioles) often tinged with red
Large, reddish-brown, spike-shaped flower clusters (inflorescences) emerging from the base

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours Daylight hours for photosynthesis and growth

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Season April-September (Northern Hemisphere), October-March (Southern Hemisphere)

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Diet Photosynthetic; utilizes sunlight, water, and atmospheric nitrogen fixed by symbiotic cyanobacteria in its stems.

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Habitat Wetlands, stream banks, boggy garden borders, and damp coastal cliffs.

Behavior

The Chilean Rhubarb is a herbaceous perennial known for its aggressive and rapid growth during the spring and summer months. While it may look like a static garden plant, it is biologically dynamic, forming a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (Nostoc) within its tissues, which allows it to thrive in nutrient-poor, boggy soils where other plants might struggle.

In the backyard ecosystem, it acts as a massive architectural shelter. Its giant leaves create a humid, shaded microclimate underneath, providing a sanctuary for amphibians, insects, and small mammals. However, its growth is so dominant that it often shades out native flora, making it a subject of management in regions where it has escaped cultivation.

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Camera Tips

To capture the true majesty of the Chilean Rhubarb, your camera strategy should focus on its incredible growth rate and structural changes rather than animal-like movement. Because the leaves can reach over two meters in width, place your camera at a wide-angle setting at least 3 to 5 meters away from the base of the plant. A low-angle shot looking upward can emphasize the 'Jurassic' feel of the leaf undersides and the thick, prickly petioles.

If your AI camera supports time-lapse mode, this is the perfect subject. Set the camera to take a photo every 12 to 24 hours starting in early spring. You will be able to witness the 'alien-like' reddish flower spikes emerging first, followed by the rapid, almost aggressive unfurling of the massive leaves. This provides a fascinating look at botanical development that is often missed by the naked eye.

Wildlife cameras placed near the base of the plant can capture more than just the plant itself. The dense canopy creates a perfect 'corridor' for small mammals and a damp refuge for frogs. Position your camera to face the interior 'cavern' created by the overlapping leaves. Because this species grows near water, be sure to use a desiccant pack inside your camera housing to prevent lens fogging from the high local humidity and the plant's own transpiration.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Chilean rhubarb.

Giant Rhubarb

Gunnera manicata is even larger and has distinct reddish hairs on the stems, whereas tinctoria is slightly smaller with more compact flower spikes.

Common Rhubarb

Much smaller with smooth, non-prickly leaves and stalks; belongs to a completely different plant family (Polygonaceae).

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Frequently Asked Questions

As a plant, Chilean Rhubarb is 'active' during daylight hours when it performs photosynthesis. However, its growth is most noticeable over weeks; using a time-lapse camera during the day will show the leaves moving and expanding toward the sun.

Chilean Rhubarb isn't attracted like an animal, but you can grow it if you have a very damp, boggy area of the yard. Be cautious, as it can be invasive in certain climates; check local regulations before planting.

They don't eat in the traditional sense. They create their own food using sunlight (photosynthesis) and have a special ability to fix nitrogen from the air through a partnership with bacteria in their stems.

They are common in suburban gardens with water features or ponds, particularly in temperate regions like the UK, Ireland, and the Pacific Northwest of the US.

Chilean Rhubarb (Gunnera) is significantly larger, has much rougher, prickly leaves and stems, and produces large cone-like flower spikes. Common garden rhubarb has smooth leaves and edible stalks, whereas Chilean Rhubarb stalks are generally not eaten in the same way and the plant is not closely related.

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