Definition

Noun: * Pieplant: A common name for a perennial plant (Rheum rhabarbarum or Rheum × hybridum) cultivated for its long, thick, pinkish to red, edible leafstalks. These stalks have a distinctly tart, sour flavor and are typically cooked, often with sugar, and used in desserts like pies, jams, and sauces.

Usage

• Pieplant is a count noun used to refer to the plant itself. It is most common in North American English and is considered an informal or regional term.
• Example: "My grandmother has a large patch of pieplant growing in her garden."
• Example: "We need to harvest the pieplant before the first frost."

Examples

• "The pieplant is ready for harvest when the stalks are about 12 to 18 inches long."
• "For the filling, you will need four cups of chopped pieplant."
• "He spent the afternoon pulling weeds from around the pieplant."

Advanced Usage

• The term pieplant directly references the primary culinary use of the plant's stalks. It is a more descriptive and homespun term compared to the standard botanical name.
• It can sometimes be used metonymically to refer to the harvested stalks themselves, especially in a culinary context.
• Example (metonymic): "Make sure you wash the pieplant thoroughly before chopping it for the pie."

Variants and Related Words

• Rhubarb: This is the standard and more widely used term for the same plant. "Pieplant" and "rhubarb" are synonyms, with "rhubarb" being the preferred term in most formal and international contexts.
• Example: "Rhubarb pie is a classic spring dessert." (This is identical in meaning to "pieplant pie").

Synonyms

• Rhubarb: The primary and most common synonym.
• Garden rhubarb: A more specific term.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The word pieplant has only one core meaning: it refers specifically to the rhubarb plant cultivated for its edible stalks. It is not used to refer to any other plant or object.

Noun

1. long pinkish sour leafstalks usually eaten cooked and sweetened