- Rhubarb is the common name of the root of several different species of Rheum, growing in the mountains of the Western and Northwestern provinces of China, and in the adjoining Tibetan territory. This plant is found native in India. It also grows in the Himalayas (above 8,000 to 13,000 feet), and is found in Russia and Turkey. The parts of the plant used for health benefits include both the root and the rhizome. The genus name Rheum is believed to come from the Greek "rheo," meaning "to flow" in