TOXIC PLANT PROFILE: RHODODENDRON
Clipboard researched by Susan Greene, Dallas Jamison and Rick VanderKnyff / Los Angeles Times. Graphics by Doris Shields / Los Angeles Times
RHODODENDRON (Rhododendron occidentale): Meaning “rose tree,” rhododendron is the name given to a group of trees and shrubs that belong to the heath family. They are prized for the beauty of their flowers and for their evergreen leaves, but those leaves are poisonous and can cause vomiting, purging and other symptoms if eaten.