The invention discloses a thin-layer chromatography detection method of rheum palmatum as a traditional Chinese medicinal material. The rheum palmatum is detected with thin-layer chromatography. The method comprises steps as follows: (1) preparation of a test liquid: taking test medicinal material powder, adding ethanol for extraction, performing filtering and concentrating, adding water for dissolution, adding an organic solvent for extraction, performing concentration, adding methanol to constant volume, and taking the solution as the test solution; (2) thin-layer chromatography detection: sampling the test solution on a thin-layer plate, performing developing with petroleum ether at 30-60 DEG C, n-hexane, ethyl acetate and formic acid as developers, and performing color development, inspection and contrast. According to the thin-layer chromatography detection method, purple characteristic spots are found in the Rf value range of 0.13-0.17 and are unique to the rheum palmatum, the spots are clear and easy to distinguish, and the rheum palmatum can be effectively distinguished from rheum palmatum, rheum tanguticum and rheum tanguticum.