Rhododendrons Are Dangerous...? シャクナゲは危険？

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I saw rhododendrons in my neighborhood. Some were flowering while others still in the bud, but their vivid pink red stood out!

Early flowering rhododendron シャクナゲ
Pollen and nectar are toxic

Rhododendron in the bud まだつぼみ

Rhododendrons are classified as a subgroup of azaleas in Japan, but I don't see anything in common between the two. Rather rhododendrons look like peonies, don't they?

Peony in pink red 牡丹
Roots are used for Chinese herbal medicines

The rhododendron symbolizes "beware" and "I am dangerous." This may be because some rhododendrons are poisonous - their pollen and nectar contains a toxin called grayanotoxin. That's interesting because the roots of red peonies are used for traditional Chinese herbal medicines.

Don't be deceived by women like rhododendrons....

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散歩中に見かけたシャクナゲ（石楠花）、ツツジ科の花だそうです。こんなにきれいなのに葉には毒が含まれています。一方、よく似た名前のシャクヤク（芍薬）の根っこは漢方に使われます。シャクナゲとシャクヤク、名前は似てますが全然違うんですね。

ちなみに「シャクナゲ」も「シャクヤク」も牡丹に似てますが、シャクナゲは英語で「rhododendron（長い！）」、シャクヤクと牡丹は両方とも「peony」で、日本のようには区別されていません。

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