Rhododendron Materia Medica

Rhododendron essential oil (referred to as anthopogon oil in Nepal), obtained via steam distillation of the aerial part of the shrub, is a pale yellow and mobile liquid with a sweet, green, softly fruity, subtly balsamic scent. Biochemically, it is composed primarily of the monoterpenes alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and limonene and the sesquiterpene delta-cadinene.

The flowers of Rhododendron anthopogon are used in the Himalayas as a tea substitute. The dried leaves (referred to as sunpati in Nepal) are used to make incense, often mixed with juniper, and burned in Buddhist monasteries as well as in Hindu religious ceremonies. Sunpati incense, famed for its grounding and centering properties, is a staple of Tibetan herbalism and sacred ritual. Dwarf rhododendron has traditionally been collected by the peoples of the high Himalayas to be burnt as an offering to their earth deity.

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