You might have heard that rhododendron is a toxic plant. This is partially true because not all rhododendrons contain toxic compounds. Honey bees are attracted to all of them, toxic or non-toxic and produce a tasty honey that in spring beekeepers usually leave it in the hive, for them, to feed themselves after a long winter. The term rhododendron comes from the Ancient Greek and means Rose Tree. There are 1,024 species of woody plants in the Ericaceae family, either evergreen or deciduous. They are mainly found in Asia,… Read More

What is mad honey? Gooood honey…. It’s honey that drives you mad, some people say. In reality it’s a toxic honey which has light hallucinogenic effects. Interested? It is made from the nectar bees gather from some species of rhododendron. Not all rhododendron honey is toxic, as not all rhododendrons contain toxic compounds. Yet, all species produce a very-attractive-to-bees nectar. And ultimately, we may also have a good, delicious, healthy and non-toxic honey. But here we’ll talk about the toxic… Read More