Rhododenron honey

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Rhododenron honey

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jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Mon Jun 08, 15 4:48 pm Post subject: Rhododenron honey
Interesting article. Basically saying that honey from bees that have been foraging on Rhododendron can be poisonous.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Mon Jun 08, 15 8:12 pm Post subject:
The leaves and bark are poisonous if eaten in enough quantity, Did`nt know about the flowers.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15996

Posted: Tue Jun 09, 15 6:23 am Post subject:
This has been going the rounds for several decades at least. The nectar or pollen is said to be poisonous to the bees too, and some bumble bees have been affected by it. If you are worried, the best thing to do is leave the honey for a while before bottling and using.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Tue Jun 09, 15 10:22 am Post subject:
Its the same story about ragwort honey, BUT, you would need to eat a helluva lot of ragwort or rhododensron honey to poison yourself, and who is to say that the bees solely collect nectar from these plants anyway? Not worried.

Falstaff

Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 1014

Posted: Tue Jun 09, 15 1:26 pm Post subject:
There is loads of stuff out there, which is notionally poisonous, without ever killing anyone.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue Jun 09, 15 2:13 pm Post subject:
I've yet to see a honey bee working the Rhodies here. I'm sure if there was nothing else in flower they would take it, but it's not near the top of their preference list.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15996

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 15 6:07 am Post subject:
I think bumble bees go for it more than honey bees Tavascarow. They are the ones that sometimes get poisoned.

Falstaff

Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 1014

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 15 7:46 am Post subject:
Why would a plant have flowers which poison it's pollinators ? Evolutionary suicide surely ?

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 15 9:53 am Post subject:
They're not native to this country. Presumably whatever pollinates them in the Himalayas isn't affected by the toxin.

robkb

Joined: 29 May 2009
Posts: 4205
Location: SE London

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 15 11:50 am Post subject:

sean wrote:

They're not native to this country. Presumably whatever pollinates them in the Himalayas isn't affected by the toxin.

Yeti's?

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 15 11:54 am Post subject:

robkb wrote:

sean wrote:

They're not native to this country. Presumably whatever pollinates them in the Himalayas isn't affected by the toxin.

Yeti's?

That'll be it. Yetis fluttering from flower to flower drinking deeply of the rhododendron nectar and accidentally transferring pollen on their furry faces.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 15 2:19 pm Post subject:
I want to get a photo of that.

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