In Defense of Plants Podcast

Southeastern Grasslands Initiative is building a movement. Frustrated by the lack of protection and attention given to grasslands of southeastern North America, a small group of dedicated botanists and conservationists decided to do something about it. Thus, SGI was born. The purpose of SGI is to "integrate research, consultation, and education, along with the administration of grants, to create i...

"Torreya was so common until it wasn't and then it started crashing like falling giants..." Within the span of a few decades, the torreya pine (Torreya taxifolia) has become one of the most endangered trees in the world. Luckily a small group of conservation-minded individuals came together to try and save this species. The Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance, along with their partners, are leadin...

Ferns and lycophytes are very special plants. Their origins date back hundreds of millions of years. Representatives of these two lineages can be found all over the globe and yet we know much less about them than we do flowering plants. My guest today is trying to change that. Joining us from the University of Florida is Dr. Weston Testo. Weston wants the world to know that ferns and lycophytes ar...

When Lou Jost and friends realized how quickly the rainforests of Ecuador were disappearing they decided to do something about it. Thus Fundación EcoMinga was born. Since 2006, Lou and his team have managed to establish seven reserves covering all elevations from 1100m to 3860m. Along the way they have discovered numerous species of plants and animals all thanks to their focus on tiny, epiphytic o...

The relationship between plants and mycorrhizal fungi is often painted as a beautiful, altruistic relationship, the reality is far more complex than that. Though this is one of the most important relationships on the planet, we still have a lot to learn about how plants and mycorrhizal fungi interact. Some of the most mysterious relationships between plants and fungi come from specialized parasiti...

Today we are joined by carnivorous plant expert and botanist extraordinaire, Greg Bourke. Greg is the Curator Manager of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney's Blue Mountains Botanic Garden. He is deeply passionate about finding and understanding Australia's bewildering variety of carnivorous plants. From describing new species and even genera to spreading the word about plant conservation, Greg's life...

The butternut or white walnut (Juglans cinerea ) is a tree that is unknown to many. Ravaged by an invasive fungal blight, this wonderful tree is on the decline throughout eastern North America. If nothing is done to save the butternut, it will likely go extinct. If it does, North America will lose yet another important nut-producing tree. That is where people like Andrea Brennan come in. Andrea an...

Today we get a look back in deep time with the help of the amber time capsule. Amber will be most familiar both for its use in jewelry but also for its role in the Jurassic Park series. However, amber is also a gold mine of scientific discovery. Amber contains within the remnants of long extinct ecosystems. From insects to plants, and even tiny bubbles of prehistoric atmosphere, there is no tellin...

Seed banking is an extremely important component of plant conservation but what do you do with seeds that don't store well? A considerable number of plant species produce seeds that die when placed into seed banks. Are these species destined to be lost forever if things go south? Not if my guest can help it. Karin van der Walt is the Conservation and Science Advisor for New Zealand's Otari Native...

This episode is a real cliffhanger because we are delving into the wild world of rock daisies in the tribe Perityleae. These obscure composites live a perilous life clinging to scattered vertical rock cliffs throughout parts of southwestern North America. Joining us to talk about the rock daisies is UC Berkeley PhD student, Isaac Marck. As you will hear, Isaac and his colleagues are uncovering ama...

No one has a monopoly on conservation. If we want to protect wild spaces and the species they support, we need multifaceted, collaborative approaches. Joining us to talk about plant conservation efforts in the southeast is Dr. Emily Coffey, the Vice President of Conservation & Research at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Together with a team of scientists, horticulturists, and volunteers, Dr. Cof...

Today we go in search of the so-called stinking cedar or torreya pine ( Torreya taxifolia ) at wonderful site owned and operated by The Nature Conservancy called Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravine Preserve. Of course, this tree is neither a cedar nor a pine. It is a member of the family Cephalotaxaceae and it is in trouble. Habitat destruction and a terrible fungal blight have nearly wiped this specie...

My guest today may just have the coolest job in the world. Dr. Jessica Turner-Skoff is Morton Arboretum's official Treeologist which means she gets to spend her days both studying trees and telling the world why trees are so important. In this episode we are specifically focusing on the importance of trees in our cities. As you will hear, trees not only provide numerous ecosystem benefits, they al...

In this episode, we dive deeper into what is being done to bring the Ozark Chinquapin back from the brink of extinction. The Ozark Chinquapin (Castanea ozarkensis) is a tree on the brink of extinction. Like its more popular cousin, the American chestnut, the Ozark Chinquapin is a victim of an introduce blight brought to this continent over a century ago. The loss of this tree was so severe that it...

The Ozark Chinquapin (Castanea ozarkensis) is a tree on the brink of extinction. Like its more popular cousin, the American chestnut, the Ozark Chinquapin is a victim of an introduce blight brought to this continent over a century ago. The loss of this tree was so severe that it has largely been forgotten. The Ozark Chinkquapin Foundation is trying to change that. There is hope for this species an...

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of milkweeds. The genus Asclepias has been made famous due to the plight of the monarch butterfly, whose larvae feed on nothing else. Though we tend to focus our attention on only a handful of milkweeds, these plants are incredibly diverse and have a lot to teach us about ecology, evolution, and biogeography. Joining us to talk about this incredi...

My guest today is head over heels for plants and wants to do everything she can to get more people on board the botany train. Sandy Masuo is an author, editor, and all around plant nut. She hosts many workshops and talks on a variety of plant-related topics but her latest obsession are succulents. From the up's and down's of common names to the implications for conservation, Sandy's passion for th...

Galls are everywhere once you start to look for them. These often elaborate plant growths are induced by a variety of organisms from insects to fungi and they are absolutely fascinating to study. Joining us to talk about the wild world of galls is Morton Arboretum's Forest Pest Outreach Coordinator, Tricia Bethke. Tricia spends a lot of time talking about plant health and galls are all part of the...

Yuccas are cool plants just based on appearances but their pollination ecology is downright fascinating. All members of the genus Yucca rely on moths for pollination and the moths themselves could not exist if it wasn't for Yucca flowers. What started as a parasitic relationship has since evolved into an extremely specific mutualism. Join Syracuse University's Dr. Kari Segraves and I as we discuss...

Today we celebrate conifers with educator, author, and ecologist, Michael Kauffmann. Michael fell in love with conifers early on and has been doing everything he can to share this passion with the rest of the world, from writing conifer books to creating a conifer-themed trail system in the Klamath Mountains. Learn how Michael and others are working hard to map rare conifers, study the effects of...

Today we are talking about an invasive species issue that may spell disaster for some cacti in North America. The cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) originated in South America but has been moved all around the world as a form of biocontrol for invasive prickly pear cacti (Opuntia spp.). Thanks to some introductions into the Caribbean, it has since found its way to southern North America where it...

Peyote or Lophophora williamsii is a small, spineless cactus native to southern North America. Thanks to some very potent alkaloids in its tissues, peyote has managed to capture the minds of humans for millennia. Today its numbers are declining at an alarming rate. Habitat destruction and rampant poaching are taking a serious toll on this species. Joining us to talk about all of the sociopolitical...

Today we focus on a group of plants whose floral morphology and chemistry are sure to blow your mind. Join Dr. Anne Heiduk and me as we discuss the bizarre chemical ecology of Ceropegia. Members of this genus have gained a lot of popularity as houseplants in recent years but we still know very little about how they behave in the wild. From dying bees and wasp venom, to rotting meat and possibly ev...

Today is all about a very special garden at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. This garden was designed with many uses in mind and it is a wonderful success. Joining us to talk about what goes in to creating and maintaining a garden like this is the director of the Nature Gardens and the Live Animal Programs, Carol Bornstein. Carol is a life long lover of plants and her garden exper...

The Baja Peninsula is home to a bewildering diversity of plant species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Despite all of its botanical treasures, we are only just beginning to understand the biogeographical nuances of this small spit of land. That is where people like Dr. Sula Vanderplank come in. A freelance botanist by trade, Dr. Vanderplank has recently been lending her talents...