The Pontic Rhododendron — Antique Botanical Print

Rhododendron ponticum takes its name from Pontus, the ancient region along Turkey's Black Sea coast, where it still grows wild alongside outlying native populations on the Iberian Peninsula and in the Caucasus. Bees that feed on its nectar can produce a toxic mad honey, an effect recorded as early as 401 BCE by the Greek historian and soldier Xenophon, whose troops fell ill after eating wild honeycomb near the Black Sea. Introduced to Britain as a flowering ornamental in 1763, the shrub later escaped cultivation and is now widely regarded there as an invasive species, forming dense evergreen thickets that crowd out native woodland plants.

Materials & origin

• Material: 200 gsm gallery-grade, acid-free fine-art paper (FSC-certified).
• Print: Archival giclée, 12-colour printing, smooth matte finish for glare-free display.
• Artwork: Restored from a public-domain original; colour and detail digitally cleaned for large-format print.
• Origin: Made on demand and shipped from the print hub nearest you, cutting transit and waste.
• Framing: Sold unframed; ships rolled in a protective tube.