Completely Arbortrary

What do you do when the way of life that you evolved over millions of years was rendered useless in the blink of an eye? Something very similar to that happened to the Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera) at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, and it wasn't alone. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on Inst...

Has the European beech (Fagus sylvatica) been man's best friend since time-immemorial, or has it just been doing it best to impress the whole time? This week we discuss the complex history of the European beech, but the jury is still out if it's a natural history or unnatural. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member...

The King of Bonsai, this week we're welcoming the new Unseason of Completely Arbortrary with a discussion of the Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii). This tree has been cultivated for thousands of years as bonsai trees, and this week we chat about what Casey and Alex think of these trees and the art form they helped create. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Cr...

Enjoy this BONUS EPISODE from our Patreon as a palette cleanser to this season of food trees, in which we discuss three drinks from non-tree plants; coffee, hops, and grapes. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on Instagram Find Arbortrary merch on our store Find additional reading on our website Cov...

In our annual finally, we talk about the amazing cacao tree (Theobroma cacao). We discuss the sordid history of this funny little fruit, and we end the season with a deep dive into the real costs of our eating culture. As a palette cleanser, we play a new game! Then we discuss the future of Completely Arbortrary... Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Suppor...

The Meyer lemon (Citrus x meyeri), named after the tiger-fighting plant explorer Frank Meyer is this week's subject, but they go way further back than that. This sour fruit tree was traded to all corners of the world and cultivated for thousands of years before, and even to this day it can be a life saver... Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the p...

A tree that has been known to solve everything from rheumatism to syphilis, the sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) is a quintessential part of the history of the United States. The classic ingredient of root beer, this tree has a lot to offer, but may not be quite as pure as they thought... Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Tr...

The olive (Olea europaea). What more needs to be said about this historic tree? This week, we dive into how it is grown, where, and how orchards have developed and changed throughout history. The wonderful history of the olive, its groves, and its future are the topic this week. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Membe...

The nut that actually is a nut, this week we chat about the filbert (Corylus avellana) and discuss the philosophical distinction between what exactly is a shrub versus a tree? We ask the question can we even include this in a podcast about trees? Or do we need to reconsider the very nature of that alleged category. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Suppor...

The pomegranate (Punica granatum), a tree of mythical history, is our subject this week. We dive to the depths of Hades back again, exploring the outsized role this squat tree has had in the myths and histories of nearly every religion and culture of the Mediterranean, Middle East and southern Asia. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and be...

This week we chat about the Colorado pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) and its multitude of uses and fascinations. A group of pines, the pinyons, are an interesting evolutionary clade that tend to interbreed where their populations overlap. The seeds of the pinyon, though, are what has led to them being of utmost important to our culinary pantheons. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey C...

The center of conflict and conquest, the Helen of Troy of Trees, the nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) tree has caused international incidents and revolutionized the flavors of cuisines world wide. We talk all about how this tree and the Spice Islands it grows on impacted the world. Then we get a delectable recipe and description of nutmeg that will simply make your mouth water. Completely Arbortrary is...

A historic tree that still shapes our world today, the almond (Prunus amygdalus) is curious member of our culinary pantheon. Once so inedible that it would kill you, now it's one of the most popular and widely grown trees in the world. But with that popularity comes a cost... Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member F...

An oak that has got it all figured out, the holm oak (Quercus ilex) has made a friend that is worth having. This week we talk about the holm oak and its most famous fungal associate, the Périgord truffle mushroom. Then, we flip the script and Casey gives Alex a chance to play a brand new game... Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become...

Mango, one of the world's most beloved fruits is the subject this week. A tropical wondertree, we chat about where the mango is from and its numerous benefits. However, this tree and its family have a dark side that has Casey and Alex keeping their distance... Then, we hear from Daphne K. Jenkins, maker of mochi! Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support...

From folk lore to your lunchbox, the apple (Malus domestica) has played a role in our society for thousands of years. In our Season 4 premiere, we chat about the American chapter of that story and we hear just how Casey feels about this ubiquitous fruit tree. Then, it’s another edition of Family Tree! Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and...

Hi, we're Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson. You're invited to take a seat at the table for Completely Arbortrary Season 4: Plant-Based Diet! That's right, this season we're baking, sautéing, and grilling our way through a cornucopia of trees that feed. We're talking lemon tree, almond tree, and even the dreaded apple. And we're teaming up with chefs from all around to showcase the best ingredients our...

This week we are closing out our Winter ‘21 Collection with the green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Though an immensely popular ornamental and street tree, this tree is a huge component of our forest ecosystems, and the invasion of an insect killing them off has had interesting waves throughout the forest. We talk ecosystem ramifying this week and discuss how little, seemingly innocuous, unconnect...

This week we review the littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata), a European forest dweller with a heart of gold. We discuss how its generosity is a double-edged sword, and how the delicate web of its ecosystem was abused by humans at the cost of 50,000 precious lives. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on...

The tree that’ll kill you back, the Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri) is our topic this week, and we bring in special guest Tobin Mitnik, a Jew who loves trees, to get his hot take on this giant coned conifer. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on Instagram Find Arbortrary merch on our store Find additi...

A god of a tree, blessed with near immortality, this week we discuss the bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva), who from its high mountain home has diligently recorded a ring every year for millennia. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on Instagram Find Arbortrary merch on our store Find additional read...

A true tale of love and loss, the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) is this week’s subject and we discuss its renown, majesty, and stature, and ultimately its untimely demise. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on Instagram Find Arbortrary merch on our store Find additional reading on our website...

The western redcedar and all its glory today, along with our first interview (!) with Sam Stewart, a guitar craftsman and musician who tells us all ‘bout how wood is used in guitars. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on Instagram Find Arbortrary merch on our store Find additional reading on our web...

When a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? We don’t know! But it sure does make a lovely habitat for a plethora of little creatures and plants. Today we examine nurse logs from the persective of one of the best, the Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), a species that excels at the practice. Then we weigh the odds with The Cone Scale. Completely Arbortra...

INVASION! In this episode we discuss the morality of tree invasiveness, and find ourselves debating the question: who’s invading whom? Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on Instagram Find Arbortrary merch on our store Find additional reading on our website Cover art by Jillian Barthold Music by Aves...