Rhododendrons: The Story Behind the Painting

Rhododendrons pays homage to the beautiful, hearty rhododendron. The name rhododendron derives from the Greek rhodo, rose, and dendron, tree. Some rhododendrons have a toxin in their pollen and nectar that can cause illness when eaten. For this reason, rhododendrons have come to be symbolic of caution and danger as well as showy beauty. Rhododendrons are part of a large genus with over 800 species that is widely distributed. A variety of species grow in the Himalayan mountains, in Europe and in North America. Rhododendrons are the national flower of Nepal and the state flowers of Washington and West Virginia.

To learn more about flower symbolism, please see our article on Flower Symbolism.

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