Rhubarb flowers

[veggiechicken]

Didn't know whether to post this in Veg, Fruit, Flowers or Seed saving!

A couple of my rhubarb plants are about to send up flower stalks. I know I should cut these out asap but I wondered whether anyone had left their rhubarb to set seed and grown young plants from these seeds?
Does it have any effect on the parent plant if they're allowed to flower?

Yours in anticipation,

A curious chicken

[mrbadexample]

I have let mine flower and sent the seed to someone else who managed to grow a new plant from them. However, I believe they don't always come true to type.

I would probably not let a small / young rhubarb flower, but it did no harm to my great big one.

[flynch]

Had some growing wild in the garden for years, flowered every year. Probably self seeded too. The yield can be effected but that depends who much you get vs potential gains as to whether that's a problem for you. If the seeds are open pollinated and any other rhubarb are flowering the seeds might not go true.