h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In the United States Rhubarb was (and is) grown as fruit. It was frequently planted under the family apple tree on the homesteads in the midwest and northern high plains. (You can frequently still find them growing on the deserted farmsteads even after years of neglect.) It was used in pies and cooked into a sauce that was poured over plain cake or just eaten plain. It was also mixed with other fruits such as stawberries making them go further in the pies and in jam.