Rhododendron is a plant genus of the heather family. With bright showy flowers, this glamorous perennial is known for its medicinal properties and lethal toxins. Rhododendron including azalea are central to production of mad honey from the ancient to modern world.
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Mad honey is created by bees producing honey from the nectar of plants containing certain toxins, such as grayanotoxins. All Rhododendron species have mild to severe toxicity. Strategically for the plants, pollinators are not harmed by the poisons.
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Most Rhododendron species are native to eastern Asia and the Himalayas. Today they grow throughout the world as small trees, vines or shrubs. Favorite hedge and ornamental plants, Rhododendron has white to brilliant shades of red, pink, purple, blue and orange flowers.
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The romantic Alpenrose (Rhododendron ferrugineum) is an evergreen shrub above the mountain tree line. It's also called snow rose or rusty-leaf alpenrose. Found in the Alps, Pyrenees, Jura and Apennines, Alpenrose is the "type species" for genus Rhododendron.
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Rhododendrons bear the cluster flowers pollinators love, and are often visited by butterflies, moths, honeybees and hummingbirds. In Ukraine the native rhododendron is Rhododendron kochi, a sprawling shrub of deep pink or violet flowers.
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R. kochi grows in the East Carpathian Mountains on the rocky slopes of subalpine and alpine ranges, at elevations to 2000 m (6562 ft). Entire islands of rhododendron exist in Polisia on the azalea preserve near Tomashhorod, west Ukraine.
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Among the most fragrant Rhododendron is R. occidentale (Western Azalea). Blooming in late spring and early summer, the plant releases oils in the petals for an ambient spicy sweet scent with suggestion of cloves.
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In the Western Himalayas, a drink known as Buransh comes from the bright to deep red petals of Rhododendron arboreum. This plant can grow into a beautiful medium-sized tree. Burnash means "rhododendron" and R. arboreum is the national flower of Nepal.
Buransh is prepared from the carefully washed plant petals. Juice of R. arboreum is used in Ayurveda to prevent or treat diabetes, and is considered to benefit heart, skin and liver, and relieve body aches and pains.
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Great Laurel or Rhododendron maximus is another tree-sized plant, with lush white flowers. Leaves and flowers of R. maximus produce grayanotoxins which cause sickness such as nervous disorders.
Symptoms of R. maximus poisoning include lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea which can be mistaken for mild food poisoning or a "stomach bug". Symptoms get worse leading to severe abdominal pain, abnormal heartbeat, seizures and ultimately death.
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Grayanotoxins are largely responsible for the effects of mad honey. Rhododendron ponticum or Pontic Rhododendron is named for its habitat near the Black Sea. Fossils show this plant ranging across most of south and western Europe about 20,000 ya.
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Sap from a freshly cut branch is used to treat toothaches. Honey made with the nectar of R. ponticum is toxic ambrosia. The honey is often sold as a remedy for impotence, or "sweet Viagra" causing up 90% of grayanotoxin poisoning cases.
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The giant honeybee of Nepal, Apis laboriosa, produces a mad honey which is the object of honey hunts. The bee nests only at high altitudes on cliffs. People smoke them out and climb rope ladders to harvest the honey. It's not consumed locally as it sells for high prices.
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Ambrosia is the nectar of the Gods in Greek myth, also called the Elixir of Immortality (Elixir of Life, Nectar of Youth). It's associated with sweet honey. In the human world ambrosia is equated with honey mead, a fermented drink first discovered in Neolithic times.
Ambrosial honey mead is connected to the Philosopher's Stone of alchemy. A primary quest of alchemy, the legendary Philosopher's Stone holds the secret to the Elixir of Life. Natural plant toxins, such black hellebore and rhododendron are also of interest.
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