Calling fun houseplant facts!
Added 2025-06-13 19:57:23 +0000 UTCComments
I don’t know if it counts as a houseplant but Rhododendrons are toxic, and honey made from its nectar is also highly toxic, so much so that there’s at least one alleged example of Rhododendron honey being weaponized in ancient times. From Wikipedia (of course) : “Xenophon described the odd behaviour of Greek soldiers after having consumed honey in a village surrounded by Rhododendron ponticum during the march of the Ten Thousand in 401 BCE.[84] Pompey's soldiers reportedly suffered lethal casualties following the consumption of honey made from Rhododendron deliberately left behind by Pontic forces in 67 BCE during the Third Mithridatic War.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhododendron?wprov=sfti1#Hybrids
Ruaidhrí O’Chionnaigh
2025-06-13 23:17:36 +0000 UTCThe full details of this relationship and role/existence of leghaemoglobin in particular is also fascinating but probably beyond the scope of what you are planning.
WellenInspektor
2025-06-13 23:04:12 +0000 UTCPlants in the fabaceae or pea family can "fix" atmospheric nitrogen with the help of beneficial bacteria called diazotrophs (literally, di-nitrogen consumers). This makes them lower maintenance than plants require fertilizer from an outside source. However, you do have to either use soil that contains these bacteria or introduce them yourself (hopefully just once) for the plants to gain this ability. Mimosa are a good example of this type of houseplant.
WellenInspektor
2025-06-13 22:56:09 +0000 UTC
