In Defense of Plants

Buy my book

Learn more about the Chattahoochee River Conservancy

Ep. 437 - Save the Shoal Lily

September 3, 2023

The shoal lily (Hymenocallis coronaria) is a truly special plant. It is found in only a few rivers throughout southeastern North America where it will only grow in rocky shoals. It makes its living by wedging its bulb and contractile roots into rock crevices where clean, swift moving water washes over submerged bedrock. Sadly, wanton destruction of its freshwater habitats have caused severe decline in shoal lily numbers. Natalie Downy and her team at Chattahoochee River Conservancy are trying to reverse this decline in Georgia. Join us as we learn what it takes to get this amazing plant back into the Chattahoochee River. This episode was produced in part by Sea, Shannon, Thomas, Will, Jamie, Waverly, Brent, Tanner, Rick, Kazys, Dorothy, Katherine, Emily, Theo, Nichole, Paul, Karen, Randi, Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl, Jocelyn, Gary, Krysta, Elizabeth, Southern California Carnivorous Plant Enthusiasts, Pattypollinators, Peter, Judson, Ella, Alex, Dan, Pamela, Peter, Andrea, Nathan, Karyn, Michelle, Jillian, Chellie, Linda, Laura, Miz Holly, Christie, Carlos, Paleo Fern, Levi, Sylvia, Lanny, Ben, Lily, Craig, Sarah, Lor, Monika, Brandon, Jeremy, Suzanne, Kristina, Christine, Silas, Michael, Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Buy my book

Learn more about Dr. Frances’ work

Ep. 307 - Sleuthing to Save Plants

March 7, 2021

A lot of detective work goes into saving plants from extinction and that is what we are discussing in this episode. Dr. Anne Frances joins us to talk about all of the plant sleuthing she does as NatureServe's lead botanist. Her work has her investigating the status of everything from single sight endemics to crop wild relatives. This episode is proof that we have what it takes to save plants from extinction, we just need to try! This podcast was produced in part by Kali, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Melody, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Cynthia, John, Ashley, Peter, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Grif, Jules, Joan, Les, Marabeth, Ali, Margaret, Southside Plants, Robert, Keiko, Bryce, Brittany, Helen, Amanda, Mikey, Rhiannon, Michelle, Kate, German, Joerg, Alejandra, Cathy, Jordan, Judy, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about NatureServe

Check out NatureServe Explore

Explore the Natural Heritage Network Directory

Pick up a copy of my book

Check out all of the In Defense of Plants merch

Learn more about the National Tropical Botanical Garden

Ep. 291 - Tales from the Cliff: Preventing Brighamia Extinction

November 15, 2020

From feral goats, pigs, and deer, to the extinction of it's suspected pollinator, the ʻŌlulu (Brighamia insignis) has a lot stacked against it. Yet, despite being extinct in the wild, the ʻŌlulu is surprisingly common in cultivation all thanks for a handful of seed collections made a few decades ago. Today we are joined by Conservation Biologist for the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Seana Walsh to talk about all of the work being done to make sure this rare Hawaiian lobelioid is not lost for good. Along the way you will hear about the surprising ecological mysteries surrounding this plant and all the amazing science being performed to save it. This podcast was produced in part by Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Grif, Jules, Joan, Les, Marabeth, Ali, Margaret, Southside Plants, Robert, Keiko, Bryce, Brittany, Helen, Amanda, Mikey, Rhiannon, Michelle, Kate, German, Joerg, Alejandra, Cathy, Jordan, Judy, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Follow Seana on Twitter: @walsh_seana

Support this Podcast

Check out The Great Courses Plus and get a full month of access for free!

Ep. 272 - Restoring the American Chestnut

July 5, 2020

This episode is all about the work being done by The American Chestnut Foundation and their partners to save the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) from extinction. Ravaged by an invasive fungal pathogen, this tree went from a dominant species in our forest to a spattering of dwindling stump sprouts barely hanging on in the understories of eastern North American forests. Join me as I sit down with Director of Restoration, Sara Fitzsimmons, to talk about the amazing, multifaceted efforts being put forth to restore this native tree to its former glory. This episode was sponsored by The Great Courses Plus and produced in part by Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about The American Chestnut Foundation

Listen to Episode 107 of the In Defense of Plants Podcast to learn more about the chestnut blight

Check out the paper “Medical biotechnology as a paradigm for forest restoration and introduction of the transgenic American chestnut” by Aucott & Parker