Plants are everything. They are also incredibly interesting. From the smallest duckweed to the tallest redwood, the botanical world is full of wonder. Tune in for a podcast celebrating everything botany.
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Sep 27, 2026 · 53:36
How do individual trees acclimate to changes in their environment over time? This can be a tricky question to answer, especially in remote parts of the Amazon. Luckily, with a…
Sep 20, 2026 · 54:29
Wouldn't it be cool to explore a Carboniferous forest on foot? Alas, until we invent time travel technology, we can't do that in person. However, my guest today is working on…
Sep 13, 2026 · 1:00:02
What happens when you disrupts plants? You disrupt ecosystems! Paleobotany provides us with multiple case studies on how change plant communities affects all walks of life and…
Sep 6, 2026 · 46:27
What do the white fringeless orchid ( Platanthera integrilabia ) and the red-cockaded woodpecker ( Leuconotopicus borealis ) have in common? Habitat preferences! This is becoming…
Aug 30, 2026 · 1:05:52
Orchids are the botanical poster children for plant-fungi interactions. Every orchid has a close relationship with at least one species of orchid. Understanding how these…
Aug 23, 2026 · 51:29
The genus Prunus gives us apricots, plums, cherries, and almonds, but also a ton of under appreciated plant diversity. Prunus around the world have managed to adapt to a…
Aug 16, 2026 · 55:29
Habitats face pressures from all sorts of threats. Illegal logging, mining, and poaching are driving extinctions, accelerating climate change, and hurting communities everywhere.…
Aug 9, 2026 · 55:46
Puerto Rico may not be a very large island but its forests certainly are complex. Historically, Puerto Rico lost nearly 95% of its forest cover due to human activities but humans…
Aug 2, 2026 · 53:47
Epiphytes of one kind or another are ubiquitous components of ecosystems around the globe, but we still know little about what they are doing up in the forest canopy. For…
Jul 26, 2026 · 46:23
Rare plants aren't rare for the same reasons. They aren't even rare at different points in time. Figuring out the causes and consequences of plant rarity on a species by species…
Jul 19, 2026 · 51:47
Cloning may seem like a futuristic topic largely reserved for science fiction but plants are doing it all the time. Clonality is one of the many aspects that can make plant…
Jul 12, 2026 · 45:35
Daisy trees, petrels, and pink iguanas... The Galápagos Islands are home to unique endemic species found nowhere else in the world. Sadly, the ecosystems that support them are…
Jul 5, 2026 · 43:45
Dragonflies and damselflies are voracious aerial predators that help keep populations of other insects like mosquitoes in check. These amazing insects also require aquatic…
Jun 28, 2026 · 54:48
Disturbances from fire and wind to insects and humans play a huge role in forest dynamics through time. Throw in the impacts of climate change, and these dynamics only get more…
Jun 21, 2026 · 59:36
How common or rare are species in an ecosystem? The answer to this might seem simple, but as with everything in nature, it is not. This question can even complicate how we think…
Jun 14, 2026 · 50:21
When you start studying a group of plants, you never know what you are going to find. Sometimes it's important insights into pollination and seed dispersal. Other times it's how…
Jun 7, 2026 · 1:13:46
Plants are habitat. Heck, even a single leaf is habitat. Same goes for plant roots. This is especially true when we consider insects and fungi. But how do these organisms…
May 31, 2026 · 1:01:08
What could be better than a tiny plant with an outsized impact on the world around it? Hornleaf riverweed AKA Podostemum ceratophyllum is one such plant. This tiny aquatic plant…
May 24, 2026 · 50:05
Seed storage is one of the most important tools in plant conservation, but did you know you can also store pollen? We still have a lot to learn about storing both pollen and…
May 17, 2026 · 45:05
Long lived organisms like trees face a lot of challenges throughout their lifetime. Disturbances big and small coupled with climate change are going to continue to stress trees…
May 10, 2026 · 1:05:23
What can investigating the genes in flower development teach us about plant evolution? A lot! What started as a simple question about the quirky nature of flower development in…
May 3, 2026 · 55:45
Micro moths are a wonderfully diverse group of underappreciated insects living all around us. How they interact with their environment, particularly with the native plants the…
Apr 26, 2026 · 51:30
The Gulf Coast of southeastern North America is a biodiversity hotspot brimming with cool plants. Everywhere you look, there are plants that grow nowhere else in the world. Why…
Apr 19, 2026 · 59:14
Whether you call them alumroots or coral bells, there is no denying the genus Heuchera is both beloved by gardeners and those who know where to find them in the wild. The closer…
Apr 12, 2026 · 51:16
Climate refugia can provide unique opportunities for plants (and more) to persist for long periods of time in otherwise inhospitable areas. They have and will continue to shape…
Apr 5, 2026 · 52:28
What makes an invasive plant species invasive? A lot of effort goes in to trying to understand the ecological and evolutionary underpinnings of invasive species. Multiple…
Mar 29, 2026 · 54:15
So many of us garden to attract wildlife. Adding native plants to support bees, butterflies, birds, and beyond is a fulfilling and noble cause but how can we be sure we aren't…
Mar 22, 2026 · 46:32
Successful forest regeneration projects require lots of different skill sets. This is especially true when trying to finance operations that work for local communities. Luckily…
Mar 15, 2026 · 50:55
What does it take to regenerate a native forest, especially in highly degraded landscapes? A lot, to put it mildly. Forest regeneration is an important endeavor but figuring out…
Mar 8, 2026 · 48:10
Understanding forest health requires looking across scales and gradients. How individual trees respond to stresses can tell us a lot about how forests will respond to stresses…
Mar 1, 2026 · 40:04
Overlooking mosses is overlooking so many important aspects of ecosystem function. From nutrient cycles and seed banks to erosion control and atmospheric composition, mosses can…
Feb 22, 2026 · 49:12
Bryophytes, AKA mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, are ubiquitous components of ecosystems around the world yet they are all too often underappreciated. Luckily, people like…
Feb 15, 2026 · 50:31
Botanizing is a skill set that, like muscles, must be exercised regularly. Whether just starting out or a seasoned specialist, botanical ID takes repetition. That doesn't mean it…
Feb 8, 2026 · 52:10
Journey back in time some 60 million years to the Cenozoic with Dr. Ellen Currano by looking at fossil leaves. Aside from just being cool, leaf fossils can tell us a lot about…
Feb 1, 2026 · 55:53
Mosquito sprays and fogs only kill mosquitos, right? Wrong! The kinds of pesticides used to control mosquito populations are lethal to all manner of insects and other…
Jan 25, 2026 · 45:30
Plant poaching is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide and it doesn't get the attention it deserves. While the act of poaching plants from the wild ravages species and…
Jan 18, 2026 · 49:51
What is the soil seed bank and how does it influence the outcomes of restoration ecology? Seeds of various species can remain in the soil over a range of time periods and when…
Jan 11, 2026 · 50:21
The Devonian Period was for plants what the Cambrian Period was for animals. Land plants really started to experiment with new forms of growth some 380 million years ago which…
Jan 4, 2026 · 44:21
The wonderful Sara Johnson returns to the podcast to look back at a year of botanizing in 2025. Join us as we celebrate our favorite botanical encounters of last year. This…
Dec 28, 2025 · 53:38
The drivers of evolution that result in the diversity of life we see around us are complex and fascinating. Nowhere is that more apparent than in pitcher plant genera like…
Dec 21, 2025 · 45:30
Fireflies, lightning bugs, whatever you call them, these wonderful bioluminescent beetles are wonderfully diverse, occur in a variety of habitats, and they need our help. Habitat…
Dec 14, 2025 · 40:11
Plant conservation comes in many forms. Today we explore a plant conservation pipeline that starts with propagation and continues through to reintroducing rare plants back into…
Dec 7, 2025 · 51:39
Gardening can be a daunting enterprise, especially for a beginner. Heck, even skilled gardeners still kill plants. The quest to become a better gardener is a lifelong journey and…
Nov 30, 2025 · 1:01:23
Heat stress is a major component of plant health and it in growing more and more timely each year. Understanding how plants do or do not tolerate heat can teach us a lot about…
Nov 23, 2025 · 45:38
Deserts present a unique set of challenges to plants, especially when you are trying to restore them to the landscape. Drought, heat, soil salinity and more can make desert plant…
Nov 16, 2025 · 50:08
One of the biggest hurdles to native plant gardening is sourcing native plants. Whereas nurseries are starting to fill the demand, it is nevertheless difficult to keep up with…
Nov 9, 2025 · 50:49
Microbes are everywhere and studying them isn't always easy, but microbial ecology is a vitally important field. Microbes influence the world around them in numerous ways and…
Nov 2, 2025 · 1:01:32
People are drawn to plants for various reasons and that is why I wanted to talk with stand up comic and author Sam Tallent. From his early days hauling rocks out of his mom's…
Oct 26, 2025 · 1:02:17
Fallen leaves provide habitat to countless organisms and maintain crucial ecosystem processes. At the same time, convincing people to keep leaf litter on the landscape is a…
Oct 19, 2025 · 1:02:21
Galls are among the most remarkable biological structures on our planet. The organisms that produce them are also extreme diverse and contribute a bewildering amount of biomass…
Oct 12, 2025 · 48:10
Have you ever looked at an old tree and wondered what stories it could tell? If so, this is a conversation for you! Dr. Valerie Trouet returns to the podcast to talk about her…
Oct 5, 2025 · 51:01
Botanical art and science truly feed off of one another. A good botanical artist must understand their subjects to do them justice which fosters a deeper understanding and…
Sep 28, 2025 · 56:35
Kelp forests are among the most important marine habitats on our planet. They impact our lives in countless ways whether we realize it or not. To protect and restore kelp…
Sep 21, 2025 · 53:41
Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is a foundational species in the ecology and economy of much of western North America. It also faces numerous threats. From invasive grasses…
Sep 14, 2025 · 45:53
Ghost pipe (Monotropa uniflora) has captured the imaginations of many a hiker and can you blame them? What is not to love about a parasitic plant that bucks all the traditional…
Sep 7, 2025 · 1:04:41
It is time to revisit this episode is all about the passion flower family - Passifloraceae. Joining us is long time friend of the podcast, the one and only Rebecca Hilgenhof.…
Aug 31, 2025 · 48:53
How are species boundaries maintained when groups of related plant species live near each other? Considering all the things that need to go right for a plant to survive and…
Aug 24, 2025 · 40:01
Orchids for Peace believes orchids are symbols for both peace and biodiversity. By empowering communities to conserve these plants, this wonderful organization encourages…
Aug 17, 2025 · 58:48
Microbes are everywhere, even in seeds! Indeed, seeds from various plants can host a community of different microbes. Despite how cool this sounds, we still have a lot to learn…
Aug 10, 2025 · 42:48
Coastal wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on our planet. They are a boon for plants, animals, and people alike. However, sea level rise is changing these…
Aug 3, 2025 · 51:23
Large seed dispersers are disproportionately affected by human disturbances like habitat loss and poaching. At the same time, a disproportionate number of tropical tree species…
Jul 27, 2025 · 49:28
Seed dispersal is a vital ecological process no matter what scale you look at. From the genetic diversity of plant populations to the impact of forests on climate, how plants…
Jul 20, 2025 · 59:30
Their ancestors once dominated the coal swamps of the Carboniferous Period, growing into massive trees that could reach upwards of 160 feet (50 m) into the canopy. Today, the…
Jul 13, 2025 · 55:16
Self-Incompatibility is a means by which some plants prevent self-fertilization and promotes outcrossing. It has evolved independently in many different groups and plays a very…
Jul 6, 2025 · 50:12
The High Line was once a major railway. Today, it is one of the best gardens in the United States. By focusing on and encouraging native plants, horticulturists at horticulture…
Jun 29, 2025 · 54:27
Fireflies are among the most celebrated organisms on Earth. What is not to love about their incredible light displays? However, fireflies can't exist without habitat and plants…
Jun 22, 2025 · 1:05:39
This episode explores the nuances of why it is so important to plant native plants. Native plants are the cornerstone of nearly every ecosystem on Earth because they are both…
Jun 15, 2025 · 44:44
The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) has attained celebrity status in recent times, but that hasn't always been the case. For over a century, the Joshua tree was viewed as a…
Jun 8, 2025 · 56:37
Whether you realize it or not, our lives depend on the native plant communities that comprise and support regional biodiversity. As we lose habitat, we lose species, and we lose…
Jun 1, 2025 · 1:02:18
On face value, flower colors would seem to have everything to do with pollination, but it is far more complex than that. The pigments that give flowers the colors we can see can…
May 25, 2025 · 57:04
Understanding the relationships among plants can reveal so much about the history of our planet and the mechanisms of evolution. This is why Dr. Peter Quakenbush has spent so…
May 18, 2025 · 1:00:45
Changes in biodiversity are happening all over the globe. From losses to homogenization, understanding the affects of biodiversity change are paramount to understanding how…
May 11, 2025 · 1:04:11
Say "old growth" and we all too often picture ancient forests with large, gnarly trees. However, forests aren't the only habitat types that can reach old growth status. Prairies,…
May 4, 2025 · 59:04
Sedges (genus Carex ) can be an intimidating group of plants to get your head wrapped around, but it doesn't have to be that way. One key element to understanding them is knowing…
Apr 27, 2025 · 1:01:14
The odds of encountering a prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.) in your lifetime is high no matter where you live. That is how abundant, diverse, and charismatic these cacti truly…
Apr 20, 2025 · 57:22
Getting struck by lightning is always thought of as a bad thing, but what if it wasn't? Trees can't get up and escape when storms roll in and the chances of one getting struck by…
Apr 13, 2025 · 58:33
Go looking for information on rare plant population health and it can be surprisingly hard to come by. Plant monitoring, especially over the long term, is a challenge and data…
Apr 6, 2025 · 53:40
What does it take to save orchids from extinction? Saving Orchids by Dr's Philip Seaton and Larry Zettler showcase the dedicated folks who are making it happen across the world.…
Mar 30, 2025 · 53:53
Visit the Sonoran Desert and you too will fall in love with its beauty and diversity. It is truly one of the most incredible places on earth. Dr. Ben Wilder agrees which is why…
Mar 23, 2025 · 57:43
What does it mean to be a successful plant? Reproduction? Population growth? What factors influence these important events and which contribute more to a population through time?…
Mar 16, 2025 · 55:11
The woolly devil (Ovicula biradiata) is a fascinating and unique member of the daisy family (Asteraceae) that was only recently described to science. It was first found in Big…
Mar 9, 2025 · 47:54
Plants ARE habitat and that doesn't stop when they die. Countless species of microbes, fungi, arthropods, and more not only take up residence in dead plant material but also…
Mar 2, 2025 · 50:17
The emergence of leaves, the blooming of flowers, the arrival of pollinators... these are all biological events that are closely tied to the changing seasons. The study of this…
Feb 23, 2025 · 56:37
Parents and children don't always get along. Sometimes they can even be competitors. Conflicts often lead to interesting evolutionary adaptations and mosses are no stranger to…
Feb 16, 2025 · 45:07
Spend any time in the southern Appalachian Mountains and you are bound to cross paths with Galax urceolata. This wonderful little evergreen herb seems to be at home in a variety…
Feb 9, 2025 · 48:11
Mangrove forests are dynamic places and so too are the people that study them. From carbon capture and peat formation, to restoration and hydrology, these coastal habitats offer…
Feb 2, 2025 · 55:42
Paw paw (Asimina triloba) is a charismatic and special species. It is the most northerly growing member of a mostly tropical family. It also has considerable influence on its…
Jan 26, 2025 · 58:42
Mosses, liverworts, and lichens live in a world of their own. Not unlike the trees they grow on, these tiny organisms must play out the dramas of obtaining the water, nutrients,…
Jan 19, 2025 · 51:48
Invasive species reduce native biodiversity and hinder an ecosystem's ability to support life, including our own. Managing invasive species can be very challenging, but that…
Jan 12, 2025 · 50:04
What do cashews (Anacardium spp.), mangoes (Mangifera spp.), pistachios (Pistacia spp.), and poison ivy (Toxicodendron spp.) have in common? They are all members of the family…
Jan 5, 2025 · 14:26
January 2025 marks the 10 year anniversary (!!!) of the In Defense of Plants Podcast. To celebrate, I thought it would be fun to revisit the first episode of the podcast. Travel…
Dec 29, 2024 · 58:31
The herbarium world is a fascinating one. These botanical repositories are goldmines of data and help us understand the present by looking at the past. But what kind of future…
Dec 22, 2024 · 48:56
Leave the leaves! It is a phrase you hear a lot these days, but why is it so important to keep leaves and other plant debris on your landscape? These are the questions that drive…
Dec 15, 2024 · 59:18
What is a species? On the surface, this seems like an easy question to answer. Get a bunch of biologists in the room together and you will quickly see it can be a bit of a loaded…
Dec 8, 2024 · 45:27
Bees run the gamut from generalists to specialists. Whereas the generalists visit a variety of plants for the resources they need, many specialists exist on a single species.…
Dec 1, 2024 · 49:04
Tubers, corms, taproots, bulbs... There are many different kinds of underground storage organs in the plant world. Moreover, they form from many different kinds of plant tissues.…
Nov 24, 2024 · 59:49
Domestication is a spectrum, especially for botanical crops. Regardless of where a plant is on that spectrum, it nevertheless has a wild origin. Understanding those origins can…
Nov 17, 2024 · 31:40
It is hard to believe, but you are about to listen to the 500th episode of the In Defense of Plants Podcast. So much has happened over the nearly 10 years this podcast has been…
Nov 10, 2024 · 48:43
Aspen (Populus tremuloides) are synonymous with many habitats throughout North America. This tree is a species of superlatives, but its grandeur doesn't mean it is immune to…
Nov 3, 2024 · 43:38
Protecting and restoring biodiversity in a place as biodiverse as Ecuador is no small task. You have to work hard and collaborate and that is exactly what the folks at Jocotoco…
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