A most famous flower hailing from Europe that is often used to represent a budding spring, Daffodils have been a staple decorative flower. With little to no healing properties, it is somewhat surprising that this trumpet shaped bulb broke through the scene, but it's strength of will during cold seasons had made it a symbol of hope and prosperity. J…

When you think of garden plants, one of the first plants that probably comes to mind is the Garden Pansy, a three toned flower that often adorns outdoor landscaping spaces and Lowes stores. And you'd be right to think that, because this flower has been bred for years as a beautiful addition to many home gardens and the subject of many myths. Come l…

Allium is one of the more under rated garden flowers. Great for yards with lots of grass and greenery, Allium can add a pop of color into any garden. It's related to a plant that I personally love, Garlic! Come join us today as we discuss Allium. Allium is a super cute flower that often gets pushed to the side in favor of more typical plants. All d…

Dahlias are often revered for their great beauty. With their tall stocks and shockingly beautiful flowers, they are well known for being a very popular wedding and garden flower. Finding their exact history proves to be a little bit more of a challenge. Initially hailing from Central America, the Dahlia was a popular flower for native populations o…

Most people know about the Sea Anemone (how could you not if you've watched Finding Nemo), but they've gotten their name from the beautiful terrestrial Anemone. Also known as the WindFlower, this is a flower that can open and close it's "petals". Join us as we take a look at the beautiful bright anemone! Anemones are known for their varied and amaz…

Welcome to our latest season of PlantStories, Garden Flowers! In an effort to reconnect with Spring, we're looking at some of the world's most famous garden flowers and what they mean to us. Up first is the Rose. The most classic of all flowers, it's been with us longer than most people can remember and has stood the test of time when it comes to r…

You might think that you know everything about wine. But if our alcohol season has taught me anything, it's that nothing is like I remember it. Made from a plant who's beginnings are much older than you might imagine, wine is a beverage we've been indulging in for thousands of years. Join us this week as we talk about wine in our season finale! Win…

Maybe you've had some of that strong sake at your local Japanese restaurant. Maybe you weren't a huge fan. But like many other alcohols we've covered, there's so much more to sake than that. It's been around for almost as long as rice and has a pretty intriuiging path to creation. Come have a drink with us as we talk about sake. Sake is primarily m…

Ah, vodka. Clearly the most malable and, I might argue, widely used distilled liquor. Born in Eastern Europe, it has spread the world to become one of the most desirable drinks around. But really, at what cost? Join us today as we figure out just what vodka's been doing in it's international travels. Vodka is world renouned for it's ability to make…

Gin is an especially botanical beverage, it's major selling point boasting the use of Juniper to make for a tasty beverage. So where did it come from, and how did the famous Gin and Tonic come about? Join us today as we talk about Gin, a European beverage infused with the taste of a strange conifer. Juniper berries aren't really berries. Shocking I…

Ever had questions about the beverage referred to as "The Green Fairy"? The truth is absinthe has quite an exciting history, tied up in war, culture, and murder. So join us this week as we take a dive into absinthe. For many people, the idea of Absinthe is probably only a distant memory still shrouded with myth. Banned in the US until 2007, this gr…

Oh ho, oh ho, a pirate's life for me! Take a seat and swig a drink as we talk about the history of the sugarcane and how it pertains to the creation of Rum, one of the finest (and darkest) beverages around. *It now occurs to me that it's supposed to be Yo Ho... Don't judge me!!* When sugarcane turned out to produce those beautiful refined sugar cry…

Most people who've sampled Tequila or Mezcal probably has an inkling that it comes from the Agave plant. But just what is the agave plant, and how did we get from a large succulent to a clear strong alcohol? Come party with us this week, as we talk about Tequila and Mezcal! For thousands of years, people have been using the Agave plant as a raw ing…

Brrrrrrandy, you're a fine drink! What a good time you will be! A spirit made in many different parts of the world, brandy is another distilled form of alcohol that was popularized in Europe but has probably been around almost as long as distilling. Join us as we dig into this episode on what constitues as a Brandy and the different kinds you might…

For this weeks riveting episode of our Alcohol series, we explore just a little bit of the expansive world of Whiskey. It's been around for a long time, and one of the more popular beverages from the birth of America (among many other things). Come listen to me say the word whiskey in a bunch of ridiculous ways on today's episode of PlantStories! W…

Even if you're not an alcohol drinker, you've probably encountered beer because of its permeating presence in many cultures. It's another one of the top drinks that we consume and there are a ton of different varieties around the world. Join us as we explore some of the history of beer and the plants involved with it. Beer is one of the oldest huma…

On our second Holiday Special of this winter season, join us me as I butcher a bunch of French words trying to educate everyone about Champagne, one of the fanciest wines. Okay, I'm pretty sure most of us know that Champagne comes from the province of Champagne in France. But do you know anything about Champagne? Is it famous for anything other tha…

We're getting our cozy winter on, while we talk about the popular winter holiday drink Eggnog. Turns out it has nothing to do with Yule and is pretty darn American (even if there are some European origins in there). Join us as we discuss some of the wild history of Eggnog and the alcohol and plants associated with it! Eggnog... it's eggs.... and al…

Another season finale is upon us. Echinacea has a pretty short history, and is an herb that grows exclusively in North America. Most of it's history of use resides with Native Americans and so today we are going to talk about that history and some of the ways this plant was used as a multipurpose medicinal herb! Echinacea has a crazy amount of usef…

Maybe the name Calendula sounds familiar to you, but you can't quite place it? It's a common herb used to help soothe the skin, but we've been using it for quite a long time! Join us as we talk about the history of Calendula, a plant that's sunny disposition is sure to brighten your day! Known for it's uncanny sense of time, the Calendula flower is…

Ah, yes. We have finally arrived at one of my favorite subjects Tea. With an incredibly rich history, tea is a famous beverage from across the world that seems to be common in vernacular of many parts of the world. So just how did this beverage get it's start? And where does it come from? Come and listen to me lecture for a full hour about Tea. Fro…

If you've participated in any kind of aromatherapy you've probably heard the name Tea Tree thrown around quite a bit. Where does the name Tea Tree come from and what exactly are the properties associated with it? Today we explore some of these questions. Tea tree, another myrtle with incredible properties, has many many uses in our life. From clean…

Sandalwood is probably one of the most common scents in the perfume world, known for it's woody smell. So what is the deal with Sandalwood, and why is it so prized? Today we are going to talk about what exactly Sandalwood is and why its one of the most popular scents we use in all kinds of products. Sandalwood has been around for quite a long time.…

It's that special time of year... Spooky Time! In today's episode, we feature Halloween and it's history going from a old agricultural festival into the Americanized Halloween we know and love today. Join us as we talk about the history of the Holiday, from spooky times to pumpkins! Do you know the story of Stingy Jack? Where did the name Halloween…

Eucalyptus is one of the most marketable plants in the myrtle family, and for good reason. It smells amazing, and even as a dried plant lasts a long time. But did you know there are at least 660 species of Eucalyptus? Only a handful of which you've probably even heard of? Join us on today's episode of PlantStories where we discuss Eucalyptus and it…

I know you've heard of this one, lavender is probably one of the most common names among household herbs! And maybe it's because of this that lavender has soooo much to unpack. Join us this week as we discuss the history and uses of lavender. The history of lavender goes back at least 2000 years, and has often had a place in the world of common her…

Today's episode features some interesting information on Palo Santo, the wood of a tree from areas of Central and South America known for it's alluring citrus, mint, wood scent. Join us this week for a look into this interesting plant with a rich history in an ancient history. Many people burn Palo Santo in a similar way to White Sage, in that they…

In this new Season, we're focusing on the herbs we love to use in common every life (that we don't eat). This week we talk about White Sage, by far one of the most popular spiritual herb making it's rounds on Instagram right now. Lend us your ear as we discuss White Sage, and it's history rooted in Native American culture, current pop culture, and …

In this episode of PlantStories, we talk about the cute plant Japanese Honeysuckle. It's another woody vine that has some invasive fast growing tendencies, but also is a fan favorite for people to plant in their yard. Join us as we talk about this week's invasive plant, the Japanese Honeysuckle in our Invasive Plants season finale. Plants originati…

Wisteria is a plant that can create one of the most beautiful types of atmospheres on Earth. Known for it's beautiful draping flowers, the are often added to archways and trellises to add a beautiful scent and draping beauty to a yard or garden. But that majesty can sometimes also be quite a nuisance. Join us today as we talk about Wisteria! Some p…

With cute tiny flowers and berries as cute as a button, the Shoebutton Ardisia is the best definitely in the running for cutest plant on our invasive plant list. But just what makes this cute plant such a pest? Join us and find out, on this episode of PlantStories. Like many plants, this plant began as an ornamental that we valued for it's beautifu…

There are a lot of different places in the world where you've possibly seen a Norway Maple. It's a tree capable of spreading itself far and wide even it's home territory. Join us this week as we talk about this common plant with invasive traits. Known to stretch as far as Norway to Turkey in Europe, the Norway Maple was actually brought over quite …

Purple Loosestrife appears to be a beautiful flower, part of a group of popular loosestrife plants. But this plant's ability to create a massive amount of seeds in one season, gives it the ability to quickly spread far and wide. Join us for the first episode of our double feature this Monday, Purple Loosestrife! Purple Loosestrife was initially bro…

You've probably heard the name English Ivy if you're interested in plants, and you've definitely seen it. English Ivy has long been a part of Western History, and is a quintessential symbol of nature. Join us as we talk about English Ivy, where it comes from, and it's surprisingly invasive habits in the United States in the second episode of this w…

Cogon Grass looks relatively harmless, sometimes even pretty. But it hides a history of murderous and invasive habits. Another plant introduced in an attempt to curb erosion, this plant's most dangerous trait is the fact that it can set entire hillsides on fire. It can grow quickly and makes quick work of other plants by making difficult for them t…

In the United States, Kudzu is a well known invasive plant. Often known to be especially prevalent in the south, it is known to be particularly difficult and blankets entire areas. But how did it get here and where did it come from? Coming from humble origins in areas of China and Japan, it's a bit of a surprise that this plant has become such a nu…

Hyacinth plants are so beautiful aren't they? So it's surprising to find out that water hyacinths are actually one of the world's most invasive plants! Join us as we dive into this plant's incredible ability to grab all the attention wherever it goes. Water Hyacinth is a beautiful plant native to the Amazon and well known as an easy plant for water…

Have you ever heard a rumor about the danger of a food you eat all the time? Today we are going to talk about some common foods that have dangerous qualities if not consumed properly. Sometimes the foods we eat all the time feel so safe, that we don't even know they have dangerous properties. Today, we often have policies and guards in place to ens…

What does the most dangerous tree in the world look like? Pretty attractive actually. But that's probably why it's so dangerous. Join us this week as we talk about the Manchineel Tree, one of the most dangerous trees in the world. You're sitting in a tropical paradise, and you look over and see a cute little apple on the ground. Intrigued and curio…

Ever wonder what kind of plants pack a punch? In today's episode we talk about a few plants that have explosive tendencies including the Sandbox Tree and Dwarf Mistletoe. They're certainly nothing to wag a finger at! And I wouldn't suggest it because you know... explosions. Just when can you expect an explosive plant to show up in your life? Well s…

This week we talk about the Ephedra plant, which is both thought to be one of the oldest plants cultivated for medicine and the plant which ephedrine is derived from. Join us as we take a look at this plant, it's uses, and effects on the world. With origins in some of the driest regions of the world, it seems quite strange that Ephedra has risen to…

In this episode we are talking about the Opium Poppy, the most dangerous plant and most successful painkiller in a whole host of beautiful poppy flowers. Join us as we learn about the plant that started wars and had scores of tragedy that might have possibly outweighed it's many benefits. Really it was a plant that took over the world by storm, and…

The Coca Plant is most well known for one thing: Cocaine. But it's history as a medicinal and beneficial plant for many people in South America, might hint to a different set of uses. Join us as we talk about the Coca Plant and it's use throughout our history as an upper and a bargaining chip. For almost 3000 years, the native people of South Ameri…

This week, we're talking about the Castor Bean plant. It's a well known ornamental plant and contrary to some of the other plants that we've talked about so far only the seeds or "beans" contain any poison. Join us as we talk about some of the cool and interesting facts about this plant! Castor Beans might contain poison but everyone also knows abo…

In this weeks episode, we are going to highlight Oleander. It's a beautiful plant with very poisonous qualities, known to have been poisoning people for ages. Come listen with us as we talk about some of its uses and mentions throughout our history. It's incredibly likely you've seen this plant, as it is now cultivated all over the world as a beaut…

This Monday we discuss the Monkshood family of plants, a group of poisonous plant well known for their beautiful flowers and also their poison abilities. It has a pretty solid place in our mythology and is even one of the main plants used in Chinese Medicine. Popular as one of the first plants to exist in cultivation purely for its beauty, and hist…

In this episode, we talk about Poison and Water Hemlock. These two very deadly plants are well known for being both sneaky and poisonous. They're even responsible for some famous deaths! Listen as we compare them and talk about some of their effects on the body. Water Hemlock is the world's most wanted deadly plant! Poison Hemlock killed Socrates! …

In today's episode, we talk about the mandrake plant otherwise known as Mandragora Officinarium. It's a plant with a complex history that may even have more lore surrounding it than poison. While we do know this plant has been known to cause hallucinations and is considered dangerously poisonous, it's probably most popularly known for it's roots re…

Hello Everyone! Today we are discussing the notorious plant Atropa Belladonna, as the first plant in our dangerous plant series. Known for it's poisonous qualities, we discuss some of it's habits as a plant, some important stuff you might want to know about it, and some of its references in popular culture. It's a crazy plant, known to be dangerous…

In this episode we discuss some cool pileas and peperomias, where they come from, what kinds of houseplants fall into this category and what else they're related to. These guys come in a whole bunch of varieties and are super cool plants! Some of my absolute favorite are baby tears (simply precious) and the chinese money plant. Join us as we discus…