Leaf
Salicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0
Yellow azalea
Rhododendron luteum Sweet
Also known as: Pontic azalea, Honeysuckle azalea
Family: Ericaceae
1 to 4 m tall
Ericaceous beds and open woodland, acid, cool soil
Flowering: May
Part shade
Hardy to about -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its nectar, like that of other rhododendrons, can make the honey derived from it toxic to humans — a phenomenon documented since antiquity under the name "mad honey".
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, elliptic, bright green, taking on remarkable purple and orange tints in autumn
🌸 Flowers
Golden yellow, in terminal clusters, giving off a strong, sweet scent
🍎 Fruits
Small brown woody capsules
🪵 Bark
Grey-brown, dense spreading branching
🗺️ Distribution
Native to the Caucasus and Eastern Europe; widely grown as a garden azalea
🐝 Value for pollinators
Very fragrant, nectar-rich flowers, visited by many insects despite their toxicity to humans
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted in ericaceous beds for its powerful scent, parent of many hybrid azaleas known as "mollis"
⚠️ Possible toxicity
All parts and the nectar are toxic (grayanotoxins); honey produced from its flowers can be toxic to humans
🌿 Other Ericaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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