Completely Arbortrary

What happens when good trees go bad? You get the laurel oak ( Quercus laurifolia ), a suitable template oak with a bad habit. Living in the wild, this tree does its thing as well as it can, but this Midnight Cowboy wasn't cut out for the big city. 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...

After living a life of stem for the last 7 weeks, we need a break! So this week, you get a bonus episode: what is a leaf? In this episode from 2021 we discuss what a leaf is, how they grow, and some defining characteristics. To coincide with this bonus episode, we are expanding our CONE CLUB to include our very first--you guessed it--LEAF! The Bur Oak leaf illustrated by Caylin Jayde. We hope you...

A grass so interesting it earned a spot on Completely Arbortrary, giant dragon bamboo ( Dendrocalamus sinicus ) is a stunningly large species with no shortage of interesting quirks. But… is it a tree, or does it look on enviously. Listen now to the exciting conclusion of Seven Deadly Stems! Then, listen for a segment of Trail Snacks, where we eat something we’ve wanted to try for years. Completely...

Pride, the downfall of many an ancient Greek hero, is the subject of today’s Deadly Stem. As is the Ohio Buckeye ( Aesculus glabra ). How did this underwhelming tree become a regional icon? 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...

An oft-reviled tree, the Russian-olive ( Elaeagnus angustifolia ) is the quintissential greedy little bastard. Its invasiveness is infamous, and the disappointments it presents are seemingly endless. Then we answer a listener question about “Stumpy”! Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on Instagram F...

Are you sensitive? Do you show aggression when you're afraid or perceiving some sort of attack? Do you have a mercenary army of ants at your disposal to dispact at the first sign of aggression against you? Then you might just be a bullhorn acacia ( Vachellia cornigera ). Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow...

The common fig ( Ficus carica ): one of humanity’s first food obsessions. From covering Adam’s junk to covering other Eve’s junk, this plant has no shortage of cultural import. But does it deserve the valor it’s flaunted for hundreds of years? 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 Arb...

*Yawn*. The weeping willow ( Salix babylonica ) is one of the most recognized trees in the world, but boy is it lazy! Learn about the questionable roots (ha) of this tree and what makes it such a beautiful mess. Then we answer a question from 12-year-old Gus! Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow along on In...

We are honored to be joined by author, illustrator, and overall bird-and-tree-advocate DAVID ALLEN SIBLEY! We talk to David about his process, whether he's an artist first or a bird lover first, and have him describe a bird perpetrator to us as we sketch from his description! To hear and see the full discussion later this week, become a Treemium Member at arbortrarypod.supercast.com Completely Arb...

The Coco-de-mer ( Lodoicea maldivica ) is the most sexual tree on the planet, and we’re out to prove it. Listen to find out how this lusty tree is the perfect example of this deadly stem in this, our first episode of 7 Deadly Stems. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Do you inherit strong muscles, deft fingers, or musical talent? Jean-Baptiste Lamarck sure thought so… and groundbreaking research suggests he may have been right! One of the central characters of this study is this week’s tree, the snow gum ( Eucalyptus pauciflora ) Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Member Follow alo...

Feeling rusty? The western serviceberry sure is ( Amelanchier alnifolia ). In this episode, we discuss the russ(t) and how it affects our arboreal friends. 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 B...

The pondero— we mean, the Rocky Mountain Pine ( Pinus scopulorum ) asks us the ultimate version of the question: are you a lumper or a splitter? 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 Mus...

There is a shakeup in the bird world: ornithologists are renaming every bird whose common name is based on a human! So why can't we do this for trees? We can, and do, in this bonus episode unlocked from our support platform Completely Arbortrary Treemium! Become a Treemium member today and unlock a treasure trove of cool rewards at arbortrarypod.supercast.com Completely Arbortrary is produced and...

Everyone gets S.A.D. from time to time, so it's a good thing we have the witch-hazel ( Hamamelis x intermedia ), a tree (or shrub) that flowers in the darkest, dreariest months of the year. It's going to be okay. 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...

Welcome to Completely Arbortrary, you’re gonna LEARRRRN all about the Brazil nut ( Bertholletia excelsa ). On this episode as diverse in “fun facts” as the jungle is in species, we talk all about the Brazil nut (seed). Stay tuned for talk all about this fascinating species and the work going into preserving it and its home. Featuring Rhett and Danielle from Wild Green Streams for Ecological Fiends...

Oh this juniper is ever so western ( Juniperus occidentalis ). When it comes to ecological turmoil, when is it okay to blame a tree, and when should we blame ourselves? That’s the question we ask ourselves today with this “Greedy” tree. 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...

Meet Phyllis Reynolds: original Portland Heritage Tree committee member, author of Trees of Greater Portland, and overall hardcore tree advocate. We sat down with Phyllis in the living room of her beautiful NW Portland home on the outskirts of Hoyt Arboretum, where she is a local legend and her name is spoken with mirthful reverence. To hear the full interview and see the full uncut video, support...

Fancy a game of conkers? No? Well how about a conversation about the ins and outs of arboriculture, and how it relates to the European horsechestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum )? Hear Casey’s first-hand experience regarding how to become an arborist, and what an arborist actually is! Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treemium Me...

A tree with no (officiall common) name, the Falcatifolium taxoides is a derivative tree from the island of New Caledonia. It’s yew-ish, it’s sickle-like, and it’s a PODOCARP . Plus, it has a curious leech of a friend who depends on it for everything—the world’s only parasitic gymnosperm. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a Treem...

It’s time for that special talk… about the rimu ( Dacrydium cupressinum ) and its special friend and lover the Kākāpō. This bird bases its entire existence around this tree, and the feelings just may be mutual. 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 a...

PODOCARPS! Never have we ever discussed one of its ilk, much to the chagrin of thousands, we’re sure. And to start our mini-series of New Zealand trees, today we present the Totara ( Podocarpus totara ). With its curious leaf-like-needle-like-leaves, this conifer is so good at pretending to be a broadleaf tree, it’s practically become one. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clap...

Have you ever seen a column of gold (orange)? It may just be an oyamel ( Abies religiosa ), the sacred fir. Every year countless Monarch butterflies pilgrimage to the mountains of Mexico to spend their winter months clinging to these trees, but why? (Spoiler: we don't know.) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-in...

Can we interest you in a forest bath? On the series finale of Treeyazaki, we discuss Princess Mononoke and the hinoki cypress ( Chamaecyparis obtusa ). A tree ripe with VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and rich tradition such as forest bathing, this tree is a quintisential Japanese conifer. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a T...

What does a nuclear disaster do to trees? Find out on this episode of Treeyazaki, where we discuss the Miyazaki film Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and the Japanese fir. Toxic jungles, giant bugs, and feudal politics. This movie was made for us. Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson Support the pod and become a  Treemium Member Follow along on Instag...