Peegee Hydrangia

This garden and ornamental plant, which is from China and Japan (Grubber 1991, 39*), has occasionally been described as a euphoriant, although its use is "strongly unadvised" (Schuldes 1995, 41*). When smoked, the dried leaves and flowers are said to have effects similar to those of marijuana (see Cannabis indica). The leaves contain the isocoumarin hydragenol, which has been linked to contact allergies (Roth et al. 1994, 411 *). Other constituents include a substance known as hydrangin, saponins, and hydrocyanic acid compounds (Gottlieb 1973,20*).

Literature Takeda, Kosaku, Tomoko Yamashita, Akihisa Takahashi, and Colin F. Timberlake. 1990. Stable blue complexes of anthocyanin-aluminium-3-pcoumaroyl- or 3-caffeoyl-quinic acid involved in the blueing of Hydrangea flower. Phytochemistry 29 (4): 1089-91.