In Defense of Plants Podcast
Episodes
Ep. 90 - Reflections on Science
08 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This week we are joined by Steven Fleck of The Field Guides Podcast for a fun delve into the life and thoughts of a couple of grad students. We touch ...
Ep. 89 - Conversations on Forest Health
01 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Forest health is a complicated topic. It means something different to nearly everyone you ask. However, the ecological component of this concept is vi...
Ep. 88 - Plant Diversity and Systematics
25 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Lately I have been thinking a lot about plant diversity. Sure, the early days of plant exploration are long behind us, however, there are still plenty...
Ep. 87 - Fire in the Forest
18 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
I have been thinking about fire a lot these days. In the wake of recent forest fires in the southeast, I wanted to take a closer look at what fires me...
Ep. 86 - Plant Propagation at Kew
11 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Personally, I think plant propagation is one of the most important skills anyone can have. That is why I was so excited to talk with my guest this wee...
Ep. 85 - Plant Conservation in the Modern Era
04 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to conservation, plants have largely been overlooked. We tend to spend a lot more time with "charismatic" species of animal. For instanc...
Ep. 84 - Project Pine Cone and Other Botanical Adventures
27 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Pine cones are fascinating structures. These scaly organs are the female reproductive structures of conifers. As children we collect them, throw them,...
Ep. 83 - The Sedge-isode
20 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Sedges. This wonderfully diverse group of grass-like plants can be quite intimidating to those who are new to the world of plant identification. Sedge...
Ep. 82 - Environmental Action: Putting Your Energy to Good Use
13 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
There are a lot of angry people out there. However, sitting on your couch and being apathetic is no good. Join me for a conversation with my good frie...
Ep. 81 - Contemplations on Biocontrol
06 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
No matter where you stand on the topic of invasive species, they are a force we must reckon with. My guest on this episode is working intimately with ...
Ep. 80 - Lichens and Their Conservation
30 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Lichens are everywhere and we hardly ever notice them. Aside from their beauty and interesting symbiotic relationships, lichens are also crucial compo...
Ep. 79 - A Lifetime With Orchids
23 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Tom Mirenda. Tom has the unique position of Orchid Collections Specialist for the Smithsonian Institute. At somewhere around 8,...
Ep. 78 - A Focus On Native Bees
16 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
North America is home to a plethora of native bees. Sadly, they are a bit of a mystery. Overshadowed by non-native honey bees, many of our native spec...
Ep. 77 - Native Plants and the Human Environment - A Landscape Architect's Perspective
09 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Landscape architects have a unique position. They get to decide the way in which we utilize different plant species in the human environment. The push...
Ep. 76 - Broomrapes: A Celebration of an Interesting Family of Parasitic Plants
02 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Parasites have earned themselves a bad reputation in our society. We often see them as nauseating freeloaders. This could not be farther from the trut...
Ep. 75 - The Question Show!
25 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's here! The long awaited question show has arrived. Over the last few weeks listeners have been submitting their botanical questions for me to answ...
Ep. 74 - Plants That Eat Animals: A Conversation With The Carnivore Girl
18 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
While looking for a unique and interesting photography subject, Maria Fulmer set her sights on a Venus fly trap. From that artistic exploration The Ca...
Ep. 73- On Milkweeds and Monarchs: The Search for a Smoking Gun
11 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Monarchs have become the poster child for protecting, conserving, and restoring native flora. Over the last decade monarchs have witnessed massive dec...
Ep. 72 - In Search of a Peculiar Parasitic Orchid
05 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week we go in search of an interesting little parasite. Known scientifically as Corallorhiza odontorhiza, the autumn coralroot orchid haunts the ...
Ep. 71 - Nepenthes and Other Botanical Treasures with Stewart McPherson
28 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Getting bit by the carnivorous plant bug can lead to a lifelong obsession with these botanical wonders. That is exactly what has happened to Stewart M...
Ep. 70 - The Great Thismia Hunt
21 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Thismia americana was unique to Chicago. Unfortunately it hasn't been seen in 100 years. That minor detail didn't stop a group of us from heading out ...
Ep. 69 - Mallows, Clovers, and Questions
14 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The Kankakee mallow is getting a lot of attention this month and rightly so. The Langham Island population is flowering for the first time in over a d...
Ep. 68 - From Seed to Orchid: A Behind the Scenes Look at Orchid Conservation
07 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Growing orchids from seed is no simple task. It's not a matter of throwing seeds in soil and waiting for nature to take its course. That is where peop...
Ep. 67 - For the Love of Moss
31 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
For Dr. Lily Lewis, a love for mosses came early. This passion for bryophytes has taken her far up into Alaska and all the way down into Subarctic Chi...
Ep. 66 - Botanizing the Atlanta Botanical Garden Pt. 2
24 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The long awaited sequel to our behind the scenes tour of the Atlanta Botanical Garden is here! Listen as Plant Recorder, Mike Wenzel shows us the amaz...
Ep. 65 - Botanizing the Atlanta Botanical Garden Pt. 1
17 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The opportunity to go behind the scenes at a place like the Atlanta Botanical Garden doesn't come often. As such, a few of us jumped on the opportunit...
Ep. 64 - Bryophyting
10 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When you meet someone like today's guest, you hold on to them tightly and make them go hiking with you. I met Sarah Hecocks earlier this summer. She j...
Ep. 63 - In Search of an Appalachian Bog
03 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Bogs are not a common occurrence in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. That's why when we heard rumors of a re spruce bog not far from where we are s...
Ep. 62 - In Search of the Mountain Camellia (Stewartia ovata)
26 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Up until a little over a week ago I had no idea mountain camellia existed. Belonging to the same family of plants that give us tea, Stewartia ovata is...
Ep. 61 - Building the Angiosperm Tree of Life
19 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If you have paid attention to flowering plant taxonomy over the last few decades you have undoubtedly come across the work of Dr.'s Pam and Doug Solti...
Ep. 60 - Orchid Bees and Deciduous Trees
12 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
People like Dr. Mark Whitten are why I started this podcast. In the context of botany, Mark is the real deal. He started his academic career studying ...
Ep. 59 - Herbaria Revisited
06 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
A visit to The Field Museum in Chicago is always an adventure. You never know who you might run into. On a recent visit I had the honor of sitting dow...
Ep. 58 - Saving the Rainforest
29 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
"Save the rainforest." It is probably the most pervasive meme in environmentalism. It means a lot of different things to many different people, but wh...
Ep. 57 - The Fascinating World of Liverworts
22 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Say liverwort to some random person on the street and you are going to get some funny looks. Say it to the right person, however, and brace yourself b...
Ep. 56 - Tales from the Field
15 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Field season has arrived for many of us. Others have been in the field for weeks by now. Whether you study plants, fish, or geology, field work brings...
Ep. 55 - For the Love of Ferns
08 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Who doesn't love ferns? After all, they represent one of the oldest lineages of plants on our planet. Far from being lowly curiosities living out thei...
Ep. 54 - Megafaunal Dispersal Syndrome feat. Ryan from Science... sort of
30 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What could be cooler than an evolutionary anachronism? It is fun to think about all of the plants on this planet that once shared their habitats with ...
Ep. 53 - Getting to Know the Carnivorous Yellow Butterwort (Pinguicula lutea)
24 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Butterwort may sound like a silly name for a plant, however, the genus to which the name refers is anything but. The genus Pinguicula houses some of t...
Ep. 52 - Flower Phenology: A Story of Tradeoffs
17 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Being sessile organisms, plants have to be able to cope with changes in their environment in unique ways. One of the major challenges plants face is k...
Ep. 51 - Cemetery Prairies
10 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Because they were never plowed under, pioneer cemeteries have functioned as an important refugia for prairie remnants. These small patches of habitat ...
Ep. 50 - Restoration Ecology with Author Paddy Woodworth
03 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Restoration ecology represents a juxtaposition between science, the public, and human values. It is often a hot button topic full of strong and someti...
Ep. 49 - MuddyBoots Peru
27 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
I am one of those people that has always thought of Peru as a giant stretch of Amazonian rainforest. As it turns out, this couldn't be farther from th...
Ep. 48 - Coffee Ecology
19 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Worldwide, we humans drink roughly 2.25 billion cups of coffee per day. Our consumption of coffee comes at a great cost to the environment. Around 11 ...
Ep. 47 - Pollinators and Parentage
12 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
I have always thought of pollination as rather straight forward - a pollinator visits a plant, picks up pollen, and deposits that pollen on its next v...
Ep. 46 - Flora of the Ozarks
06 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The Ozark Mountains have long been a mystery to me. This ancient mountain range is home to a bewildering diversity of plant life, some of which is fou...
Ep. 45 - Cycads
28 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Who doesn't love cycads? I know I do and can you really blame me? The cycads are an incredible group of plants. They are also quite ancient. Arising l...
Ep. 44 - Litter Trappers
21 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
These plants don't worry about soil, they make their own! Because so many species in the tropics grow either epiphytically or in nutrient poor soil, s...
Ep. 43 - Orchid Conservation
14 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Many people are surprised to learn that North America is home to over 200 species of orchid. What's more, an embarrassing amount of North America's or...
Ep. 42 - Botanizing Illinois
07 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of the Midwest, it is often in the context of the agricultural hotspot that it is. This was my first impression when I considered movin...
Ep. 41 - Orchid Sex
31 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The orchid family is the most diverse plant family on the planet. Much of this diversity is driven by intricate and often highly specific relationship...
Ep. 40 - Herbaria!
24 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
With herbariums closing around the world, I wanted to sit down and talk with someone who truly understands what they stand for. This week I talk with ...
Ep. 39 - Emily Graslie of The Brain Scoop
17 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Science denial is a real and present danger in our society. From climate change to evolution, it would seem that an embarrassingly large sector of the...
Ep. 38 - A Tour of The Field Museum With Robbie Q. Telfer
10 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
You may remember Robbie from Episode 11 of the In Defense of Plants Podcast. He is the poet who is pushing to change the Illinois state flower from a ...
Ep. 37 - Holiday Hike
03 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
2016 has arrived and some friends and I rang in the new year with a hike in the woods. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California...
Ep. 36 - Lawn Psyche
14 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Lawns are big business. Raking in over $30 billion annually in the United States alone, the pressure to have and maintain a lawn is ever-present. To u...
Ep. 35 - Soils
15 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Soil is the black box of terrestrial ecology. Despite its importance, we know very little about it. That is where people like Dr. Elizabeth Bach come ...
Ep. 34 - Cloud Forest Rescue Mission
08 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
A trip up into a Costa Rican cloud forest quickly turned into a rescue mission when we discovered a large chunk of it had been logged for cattle pastu...
Ep. 33 - An Impressive Plant Collection
01 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
My friend and horticultural mentor, Dave Janas returns to the podcast. This time In Defense of Plants went to him. You will remember Dave from Episode...
Ep. 32 - Conservation Genetics
25 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
There are many ways to conserve plants but there are certainly many obstacles as well. One of those obstacles lies in how many plants remain. Defining...
Ep. 31 - Exploring Plant Diversity
16 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
What is a species? Why does it matter and what can we do with that information? What drives the patterns of plant diversity we see around the world? T...
Ep. 30 - Kudzu
11 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is a plant that most people will readily recognize. This invasive vine is a relative of the pea and has the ability to carpet ...
Ep. 29 - Grand Prairie Friends
27 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Remnant prairies are few and far between but this week's podcast is going to take you to one. The Grand Prairie Friends invited people out to their Lo...
Ep. 28 - The Friends of Langham Island
21 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
I spent the day volunteering with the Friends of Langham Island. They are a group of concerned citizens working to restore Langham Island's unique flo...
Ep. 27 - Central America Part 1
13 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
In late August 2015 I took my first ever trip to Central America. I encountered so many new things and I want to tell you all about them. Join the lov...
Ep. 26 - Mate Redux
02 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Long time friends Melissa and Thom are visiting from Argentina and they come bearing delicious mate. Join us for a fun learning experience centered ar...
Ep. 25 - Why We Botanize
19 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to botanizing, we all have methods to our madness. In this episode, Steve and I discuss some of our favorite aspects of the hobby of pla...
Ep. 24 - Highlands Biological Station Pt. 2
09 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Part 2 of my tour of the Highlands Biological Station. Head horticulture specialist Russell Funderburk provides entertaining insights into what it tak...
Ep. 23 - Highlands Biological Station Pt. 1
27 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
When people found out that I would be living in western North Carolina, there was one sentiment I kept hearing, "You need to see the Highlands Botanic...
Ep. 22 - American Ginseng
21 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
American ginseng is one of those species that most people are aware of on some level. Despite its notoriety, it is hard to track down information on w...
Ep. 21 - The Birds And The Seeds
14 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
I was fortunate enough to be in attendance at the Coweeta Hydrologic Lab's Summer Meeting. There I attended a day long seminar series showcasing the d...
Ep. 20 - On The Road
06 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
An update from the road! I am on my way to North Carolina for a month of plant identification and data collection. I bring you up to speed on our trip...
Ep. 19 - Poaching
24 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Steve returns this week for a rather lengthy discussion on plant poaching. We touch on some reasons why people poach as well as a handful of plants th...
Ep 18. - Adventures & Cultivars
16 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week I touch on some recent adventures as well as some exciting things to come. I also discuss my disgust with cultivars. See Privacy Policy at ...
Ep. 17 - Rare vs. Common
10 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Commonness and rarity are snapshots in time. The abundance of plant species can change drastically as conditions change around them. Over the last two...
Ep. 16 - Plants, Pack Rats, and Paleoclimate
26 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Novel approaches are always fun. Nowhere is this more apparent than in today's podcast. I am joined by Dr. Camille Holmgren from SUNY Buffalo State to...
Ep. 15 - Life at a Costa Rican Botanical Garden
19 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode I am joined by senior horticulturist Dave Janas of the Wilson Botanical Gardens in Las Cruces, Costa Rica. Dave is what I like ...
Ep. 14 - Urban Ecology
11 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Urban ecology is a growing field of study. In this episode I sit down for a talk with ecologist Dave Spiering from Tifft Nature Center in the City of ...
Ep. 13 - Conifers, Mountains, and Life as an Ecologist in Training
04 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week I take some time to catch up with an old friend. Melissa and I met while training for a seed collection job out west and since then she has ...
Ep. 12 - Parasitic Plants
29 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Plants interact with fungi in incredible ways. From pathogens to important symbionts, it would seem that plants cannot escape the mycological communit...
Ep. 11 - Changing a State's Flower
21 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Do you think your state's flower is boring and uninspiring? American poet Robbie Q. Telfer does and he is calling for a change. He would like to see t...
Ep. 10 - Books!
15 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Steve stops by for a fun discussion about some of our favorite nature-themed books. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Pr...
Ep. 9 - Plants In a Drying Climate
08 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Ecosystems around the world have been getting progressively drier. With changes in annual precipitation and desertification on the rise, understanding...
Ep. 8 - Chara, A Model Organism
28 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Chara represent the earliest stages of true plant evolution. They are also model organisms for a wide variety of research questions. Join me for an in...
Ep. 7 - Yerba Mate
22 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Fleck returns for a fun and interesting discussion on yerba mate. This tea-like beverage is made from the leaves of a holly and is consumed as a...
Ep. 6 - Castilleja
15 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Join Matt for a discussion about Castilleja. Known commonly as the Indian paintbrush, these lovely parasites are a joy to encounter. See Privacy Poli...
Ep. 5 - Terrariums
08 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Sara from SylvaticaShop.com stops by to talk about terrariums. Their popularity has risen considerably in the last couple of years but all too often t...
Ep. 4 - Invasive Species: A Refreshing Take
01 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Community ecologist Dr. Robert Warren joins us for an interesting discussion about invasive species. We touch on research limitations, rapid evolution...
Ep. 3 - Phytotelmata
25 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Whereas plants communities define much of what we think of as "habitat," individuals themselves can be habitat too. Join Steve and I for a fun discuss...
Ep. 2 - Monarchs and the Subnivean Realm
19 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Matt's friend Steve stops by for a discussion about monarchs on the endangered species list followed by a look into the subnivean zone. See Privacy P...
IDOP Podcast Episode 1
02 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
A brief intro to the In Defense of Plants blog and a discussion of the plant that started t all, Ludisia discolor. See Privacy Policy at https://art1...