Rhododendron barbatum
Wall. ex G. Don
Eastern blood Rhododendron, Giantblood rhododendron
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(c) Phuentsho, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Phuentsho
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(c) eowens02, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A large evergreen shrub. It can be a small tree. It grows 6 m high and spreads 6 m wide. The bark is smooth and dark red-brown. It peels off. The young shoots have long stiff bristles. The leaves are dark green and glossy. They are oblong and 20 cm long. They are dull green underneath. The flowers are bright red. They are fleshy and 8 cm long. They are in compact rounded groups. There can be 10-20 in a group.
Edible Uses
The flowers are eaten raw in salads or ground to make sauces and cold drinks, with a slightly acidic sweet taste.
Traditional Uses
The flowers are eaten raw in salad. They are also ground and used to make a sauce and for cold drinks. These have a slightly acid sweet taste. CAUTION: The flowers contain a toxic substance andromedotoxin.
Known Hazards
The flowers contain andromedotoxin, a toxic substance.
Distribution
It is a temperate plant. It grows between 2500-3500 m altitude in Uttar Pradesh in India. It suits hardiness zones 7-9. In Rhodo garden.
Where It Grows
Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Northeastern India, Sikkim, Tasmania, Tibet,
Synonyms
Also Known As
Burans, Chimal, Chimula, Guras, Kato chimal, Kemu, Lalchimal, Laliguras
References (5)
- Agarwal, R. & Chandra, V., 2019, Diversity of wild edible plants in the Mandal-Chopta forest, Uttarakhand. Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 2019; 7(1): 89-92
- Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 521
- Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1145
- Gen. hist. 3:844. 1834
- Negi, K.S., 1988, Some little known wild edible plants of U.P. Hills. J. Econ. Tax. Bot. Vol. 12 No. 2 pp 345-360
