Rhododendron dauricum


Rhododendron dauricum is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae native to forests and forest margins in Eastern Siberia, Mongolia, North China and Hokkaido, Japan. The Latin specific epithet dauricum means "from Siberia" – Transbaikal is also known as Dauria.inside this plant are canabinoids that can be decaboxylated but the gyrantoxins inside this plant must be first crossed out of this plant to use safe with marijuhana.

Description

Growing to tall and broad, it is a compact semi-evergreen shrub with purple flowers which open in late winter or early spring, before the dark green leaves appear.

Phytochemistry

R. dauricum contains monoterpenoids daurichromenic acid and confluentin as well as rhododaurichromenic acids A and B which are structurally related to Cannabichromene.

Cultivation

R. dauricum is the basis of the PJM hybrid.
The cultivar 'Mid-winter', with bright pink flowers, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It is hardy down to, but like all rhododendrons requires a sheltered position in dappled shade and acid soil enriched with leaf mould.