The taste of honey has not always been so sweet, especially during historic battles.

Hello, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. A relative of our beloved mountain laurel is Kalmia angustifolia, called white wicky or sheepkill. Like all members of the genus, every part of this plant is extremely toxic to humans and animals, as are imported and native rhododendrons and azaleas. However, insects that co-evolved along with these plants are not affected, this includes honey bees. In 67 BCE, Pompey the Great was pursuing the Persian Army. The Persians collected local honey which contained the toxic rhododendron compounds and left it for the Romans who became so ill that the Persians snuck back and slaughtered them. There is a story that Federal troops ate local mountain honey during the Civil War and were temporarily affected but recovered. Fortunately, our honey is now collected from enough sources and blended that it's safe to consume.