In the most remote areas of Turkey’s Black Sea region, beekeepers collect honey produced from the nectar of pink-colored rhododendron flowers, a toxic plant that was known for decimating entire armies in ancient times.



Rhododendron flowers (Richard Dorrell/Wikimedia Commons)

One of the earliest known cases of “mad honey” intoxication was in 401 B.C. General Xenophon and his Greek army were marching in the Black Sea region when they stopped to feast on honey.

“Suddenly his men began staggering and raving like intoxicated mad men, shitting and puking and collapsing by the thousands…. we now know [this affliction] was naturally toxic rhodendron honey,” Stanford University science historian Adrienne Mayor recounts for Upvoted.

Rhodendron flowers contain grayanotoxin, a neurotoxin that is known to cause “hallucinogenic effects” by those who harvest and consume the honey.

Before you get too excited: You should know that you’re better off sticking with mushrooms.

“The compounds involved are not super fun. Not something I would recommend,” biologist Sean McCann explains. “As there are far better and safer hallucinogenic compounds that you can use.”

According to a study published in the Texas Heart Institute, low doses of this toxin can cause dizziness, weakness, low blood pressure, or nausea. High doses can lead to impaired consciousness or loss of consciousness.

When consumed, it causes a “burning sensation” in the throat, according to a Turkish medical study. The poison rarely induces death.

Interestingly, “mad honey” is widely known throughout the region as having medicinal properties—it’s used to treat a variety of ailments from stomach aches to diabetes. Others use the nectar to improve their sexual performance.

According to one study, an American middle-aged couple ate large amounts of mad honey from the Black Sea region for one week in 2008. They were rushed to the hospital for chest pain and were released a few days later.

While mad honey is plentiful in Turkey, rhodendron flowers grow in other areas of the world including Nepal, Japan, Brazil, and some parts of North America.

In Nepal, one of the world’s giant honey bees—the Himalayan rock bee—builds their nest in the crevices of towering cliffs. Himalayan farmers risk their lives collecting these hard-to-reach honeycombs and selling the nectar to Korea, where it’s sold for a hefty price.



Himalayan rock bee (Shaymal/Wikimedia Commons)

In some places, mad honey allegedly sells for $166 dollars a pound.

Reddit users who reportedly tried the expensive nectar share their experiences:

Another redditor describes the toxin as unpleasant: