Prop Culture

Derek Haynes — The Chocolate Botanist — joins us for one of our widest-ranging episodes yet: equal parts plant science, stand-up, and a conversation that genuinely mattered. We open with the news. Tanya reports from Japan, where a 26-year-old got arrested within 24 hours for swapping the price tag on a ~$1,700 Operculicaria (a slow-growing Madagascan caudex succulent that mimics a decades-old bons...

The day has finally come. We've summoned the Master of Moss Poles, none other than Jan, aka SydneyPlantGuy! But first things first: In this episode, we discuss the latest "news" on common houseplant mistakes, and we talk about attending plant shows. Then we interview Jan, and what an interview it was! Did you know that Jan can be spicy? In our Hot or Nah segment, we rate: Begonia U02...

International Children's Day  is celebrated worldwide on June 1, and on the second Sunday of June in the United States. The day holds special significance for Czechs. 80 years ago, on June 10, 1942, Nazis massacred hundreds of men, women, and children in the Czechoslovakian town of Lidice. Since Tanya lives in the Czech Republic, we decided to honor this day and 1) have her daughter (10) on th...

They say sh!t happens, right? Episode 12 has us handling a Take Two, because Tanya & Tech. Nonetheless, it's an enlightening episode! In the news segment, we cover the past two decades in houseplant collecting according to a Google Trends report (shoutout to affordablebiscuit on Reddit !). Also in the news: a fascinating report from Matador Network on America's rarest flower . The vide...

Jos returns from judging the first-ever Sensoria Expo in Hangzhou and reports back on what plant collecting looks like at China-scale. Plus: a sobering study on collapsing orchid pollination, the Alocasia 'Pink Bull' mislabel, two hot variegated Anthuriums, and weird plants featuring praying-hand pea flowers. CONNECT Substack: ⁠ ⁠https://propculture.substack.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www...

Tanya, Jos & Kaylee unpack a Facebook plant-DNA conspiracy, the wild trickery orchids use to scam pollinators (yes, including sex), Tanya's hot take on why rotating houseplants is bullshit, and weird-plant ratings featuring an elephant's foot. CONNECT Substack: ⁠ https://propculture.substack.com/ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prop.culture.podcast Website: ⁠ https://hortikult.c...

We kick off with the latest in plant trademark drama : Proven Winners' newly branded "Mythic Phoebus," which, under the trade name, is a variegated Alocasia (likely Alocasia Dora or similar). We dig into why a grower would trademark both a fake genus and a fake species name, what it means for the collector community, and why renaming common aroids as "boutique" plants is a...

In this episode of Prop Culture, hosts Tanya and Jos welcome Kaylee Ellen as their new co-host, a much-loved plant YouTuber known by many. The trio discusses plant naming controversies, including trademarked cultivar names and shops rebranding plants for profit. They cover news about a tech billionaire planning a futuristic succulent dome in Somerset and share which plant genera they'd avoid b...

Tanya is officially back in Europe, but her "Queendom" is in a state of emergency. Between dry rot and a thrips infestation on her Thai Constellation, she’s facing the reality of leaving her collection in the hands of a "non-plant" husband for seven months. In this chaotic and hilarious episode, Tanya and Jos are joined by a Mystery Guest —a well-known figure in the plant community who is currentl...

In this episode, Tanya and Jos bridge the gap between the royal gardens of England and the bustling plant markets of Bangkok. We look into the high-maintenance "Plant Shuffle" of King Charles III, discuss the evolving trend of physical plant journaling in a digital age, and get an update on the European collector scene with the upcoming My Botanica events. The highlight of the show is an...

In this special "Podcastathon" edition of Prop Culture , Tanya is joined by Ashley (@ATLPlantRoom) , the Marketing Chair for the International Aroid Society (IAS) . Together, they pull back the curtain on what it means to be part of the world’s leading organization dedicated to the Araceae family. From its "book club" origins in 1977 to its current role as the official internat...

In this episode, Tanya and Jos bridge the gap between historic botanical discoveries and the modern digital landscape. Jos shares the incredible story of a South African plant rediscovered after 200 years, along with the "Daffodil Fever" of the Victorian era. Tanya updates us on the "generational cold snap" in Florida and how it’s affecting both commercial crops and private collections. The conver...

In this episode, Tanya and Jos explore the cutting edge of plant science and the "wild west" of online plant selling. We start with some major news regarding the EU’s New Genomic Techniques (NGT) and what "designer plants" might look like in the future. We also dive into the drama of Reddit, discussing the audacity of a buyer asking for a free replacement plant four months afte...

After a chaotic start involving a "brain cell frying" recording mishap, Tanya and Jos are back for the second episode of Season 2. We dive into the legacy of the late orchid legend Paul Gripp , discuss the evolution of "rare" versus "collector" plants, and Tanya makes a confession about a certain "betrayal" regarding the IAS Tropical Plant Expo . In the seco...

Happy New Year and Welcome to Season 2! We made it back. Tanya is (mostly) healthy, Jos is caffeinated, and we are starting 2026 with a guest we’ve been dreaming of hosting since Day 1: Dr. Thomas Croat. The Man Behind the Name You likely know Dr. Croat as the “Godfather of Aroids”—the man who has described over 1,300 species and collected more plants than probably anyone in history. But in Episod...

Episode 9: A Variegated State of Mind (Season Finale) It is the last episode of the year! We are wrapping up the season with a packed episode, spilling some plant tea, diving deep into the science of variegation, and rating some truly bizarre plants. We start by debunking a questionable article about "windowless rooms" (sorry, Enid!) and clearing up the confusion behind the mysterious &q...

In Episode 08, Jos and Tanya brave the winter blues (and Christmas trees) to tackle the heavy hitters: Is the plant community finally "woke" yet? We discuss the 2024 vote by 100 scientists to remove racial slurs from Latin names and why common names like "Wandering Dude" might only be a superficial fix. We are also joined by the wonderful Memo (aka Houseplanty Goodness ) to dis...

In Episode 07, Tanya is pre-recording before traveling back to Czechia and braving the frozen north (Reykjavik), and Jos is embracing his inner Grinch. We dive deep into the science, myths, and market impact of Tissue Culture—is it saving the hobby or ruining it? Plus, we rate a plant that literally looks like... well, lips. In this episode: Spilling the Tea (News): Holiday Cactus Confusion: Do yo...

In Episode 06, we are fan-girling hard! Jos and Tanya sit down with a true icon of the plant world, Joep Moonen , to hear the wild (and funny) true story behind the Philodendron that bears his name. Plus, we catch Netflix making a major botanical error and discuss why plant collectors are "a special kind of crazy." In this episode: Spilling the Tea (News): Stranger Things Blooper: Jos sp...

In Episode 5, we celebrate our 5-week anniversary (and our 37 subscribers!) by tackling the darker side of plant collecting—from nightmare Homeowners Associations to the ethics of stealing seeds from botanical gardens. In this episode: 🪴 Spilling the Tea (News): 🗞️ HOA Nightmare: We react to the Reddit horror story of "The Botanist" whose 20-year succulent collection was destroyed by a...

In Episode 4, Tanya tries to convince Jos to cure a headache with a disgusting espresso-lemon concoction. And she gets worked up about the "fast fashion" of Christmas plants. We also head deep into the jungles of Borneo for a reality check on what it means to be a modern "Plant Hunter." In this episode: Spilling the Plant Tea: Anthurium Confusion: Jos finally clears up the mess between Anthurium '...

We are celebrating hitting #4 on the Belgian podcast charts for gardening! In this episode, Jos and Tanya spill the tea on insane market prices, debate plant fast fashion, and chat with a true legend of the Aroid community. In this episode: The $26,000 Plant: We react to the news of a variegated Anthurium luxurians selling for $26k on the Palmstreet app and discuss if investment plants are making...

In this episode, Tanya and Jos talk about the latest news in plants, share a Palm Street App review, and discuss their first Collector's Confession. Then they have a look at three really weird plants, and close out with a deep dive into how platforms like Etsy have opened the floodgates for scammers. LINKS AND REFERENCES Latest news Pandanus montanus at GUM on Facebook FB Group Philodendron En...

Welcome to the very first episode of Prop Culture! Jos and Tanya introduce the podcast's mission: to create a sustainable, connected plant community by sharing news, gossip, science, and the "plant tea". In this episode: Plant Provenance Launch: We soft-launch our flagship project—a platform to document collections, establish lineage, and fight plant misinformation. 2026 Trend Drama:...