Shows
Plant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeThe Story Of Camellia - The Flower Inside 5 Billion Cups Of Tea A DayEvery day, around five billion cups of tea are drunk around the world. But few people know about the flower that their tea comes from.In this episode, we explore Camellia sinensis - the flowering plant behind so many varieties of tea, from green to black to oolong. We take a look back more than 4000 years ago to uncover the story of Emperor Shennong, the Chinese ruler said to have discovered tea by accident, and follow how the plant spread across the world.The Camellia flower has become a symbol for numerous movements, and tea...
2026-02-1714 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeWitch Hazel: The Fascinating History Of The Healing Winter FlowerWitch hazel is an individualist. It blooms in winter when almost nothing else will. And that’s not the only surprise it’s hiding up its sleeve.In this episode, we explore the fascinating story of witch hazel - a distinctive woodland shrub with flame-colored flowers that appear in late autumn and winter, earning it the nickname “winter bloom.”But beyond its striking characteristics, witch hazel also has an interesting history. One that led to its use around the world for its healing properties.We travel back to the mid-1840s, when Theron T. Pond...
2026-02-0313 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeHow The White Pine Became A Foundation For American LifeLong before borders were drawn in North America, one tree carried a message of peace and solidarity.That tree was the white pine.In this episode, we explore the story of the white pine and its deep cultural significance across North America, from the Great Peacemaker’s journey between tribes with a message of friendship, to the white pine tree that may have been sitting in your home at Christmas time.We uncover how this tree became a foundation of American life - shaping homes, ships, and settlements, and how its near destruction ha...
2026-01-2013 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeThe 100 Million Year Old Flower That Brought A Community TogetherIn 1969, one Brooklyn woman was fighting to protect a single magnolia tree. And her determination reshaped an entire neighbourhood.In this episode, we explore the magnolia tree, its 100-million-year+ history, and the story of Hattie Carthan, who protected the Lafayette Avenue Magnolia of Bedford-Stuyvesant through grassroots action. Being one of the oldest flowering trees on Earth, the magnolia tree predates bees and sharks, and we discover how the tree has managed to survive all these years. From its dinner-plate-sized blossoms to its medicinal uses and global popularity as an ornamental tree, the magnolia has...
2026-01-0613 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeSpruce Trees Aren’t Just for Christmas: The Tree Behind The $23 Million ViolinNorway Spruce trees are a common sight in the festive season as Christmas trees. But this tall, conical tree isn’t just for Christmas. It’s a tree that has shaped music history.In this episode, we explore the extraordinary journey of the Norway spruce, back to the 1600s, including its role in crafting the world’s most valuable violins, which can sell for over $20 million.Master luthier Antonio Stradivari’s work with the Norway spruce has led to its wood being referred to as ‘tone wood’. We uncover why this tree’s wood is so sought afte...
2025-12-2312 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeHow This Pear Tree Became The Oldest Tree In The USAThere is a tree in Massachusetts that has outlasted generations.Walking past it, it might seem like any other tree. But the Endicott Pear Tree has faced a trip half way around the world and centuries of harsh weather, and still produces fruit.In this episode, we uncover the remarkable tale of John Endicott, one of the first European settlers, and the pear tree he brought to the New World.We explore how the European pear became established in North America. The pear tree came to mind when thinking of its inclusion in...
2025-12-0912 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeThe Apple: Tracing the Most Iconic Fruit to Its Surprising HistoryIt’s hard to imagine a fruit more familiar than the apple.It’s been with us for centuries, and many of us have memories centred around the apple tree. But we rarely hear about where the apple came from and why it became such an icon.In this episode, we trace the apple’s journey from the wild crabapple to the thousands of domesticated varieties that fill our shops today.You’ll discover how explorers shaped the fruit we know so well and how much of what we think we know about apples i...
2025-11-2512 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeThe Horse Chestnut Tree: A Symbol Of Hope, Play & ResilienceIn 2007, a 170-year-old horse chestnut tree in Amsterdam became the centre of a global campaign.The local government saw it as a risk to surrounding buildings and condemned it. But the public stood in their way.Because this wasn’t just any tree. It was the symbol of hope that Anne Frank wrote about in her diary.In this episode of Plant Connection, we explore how the horse chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum) became a symbol of hope.But that’s not all. The tree has provided entertainment for children, food for inse...
2025-11-1113 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeHow The Pumpkin Claimed Two of America’s Biggest HolidaysNo thanksgiving feast would be complete without pumpkin pie.No Halloween would be complete without a front yard decked with jack-o'-lanterns.But the pumpkin had a rocky start to its popularity.In this episode of Plant Connection, we follow the fascinating journey of the pumpkin, from overlooked and unfashionable to a beloved cultural icon of both Halloween and Thanksgiving.We’ll trace its rise through folklore, food traditions, and the cookbook that changed everything.The pumpkin wasn’t always loved, so how did it become the face of October and...
2025-10-2815 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeHow The Pecan Quickly Became A Beloved Southern IconPecan pie, praline, pecan brittle.It’s hard to imagine a time when pecans weren’t a beloved staple, particularly in the American South. But pecans are one of the most recently domesticated food plants.In today’s episode of Plant Connection, I dig into the surprising history of the pecan tree - an unassuming native plant that quietly propagated across America.We begin in the mid-1800s with a man named Antoine, an enslaved horticulturist tasked with the challenge of creating a pecan cultivar with large, reliable, easily crackable nuts.The st...
2025-10-1420 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeArrows, Medicine & Sustenance: The Power of ArrowwoodWith its flexible yet tough shoots, arrowwood (or Viburnum dentatum) was the perfect plant for making arrow shafts.But that’s not all.The Cherokee and other tribes made use of arrowwood for both survival and medicinal purposes, and that’s why I wanted to look into its history in this episode of Plant Connection.And the story of arrowwood doesn’t end in the past.With over a hundred species, some producing edible fruits, arrowwood has been great for all sorts of uses for hundreds of years. I want to share...
2025-09-3013 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeThe "Superfood" Berry Once Believed To Have Celestial OriginsMost of us know blueberries as the sweet “superfood” we toss into smoothies or onto our pancakes.But the story of the blueberry runs much deeper, touching myth, history, survival, and children’s literature.In this episode, I take you into the world of the wild blueberry (or Vaccinium angustifolium if we want to get technical) - a low bush plant that carries a rich legacy.From Robert McCloskey’s ‘Blueberries for Sal’ to Native American legend and dietary staple, this humble fruit has been feeding bodies and imaginations for generations.In this epis...
2025-09-1615 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeWhy You Should Never Cut Down A Hawthorn TreeWhat comes to mind when you think of the hawthorn? Maybe it’s a positive memory of one in your garden sharing its beauty all year round - or maybe it’s the sharp sting of a thorn!In this episode, we explore why the many varieties of hawthorn have captured human imagination for centuries, and why it continues to offer protection and wonder to those who know where to look for it.Hawthorn is a small but mighty tree, packed with meaning across cultures, particularly in America and Western Europe. From its edible fruits (haws...
2025-05-1312 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeWhy This Little-Known Plant Is A Gift to People and WildlifeSome plants quietly impact the world around us - the natural world and the people living in it, offering food, meaning, and connection - without demanding much attention…The serviceberry is one of them.In this episode, I explore the deep-rooted beauty of this humble plant and what it has to offer.The serviceberry, also known as juneberry (amongst a few other names), is a lesser-known member of the rose family. Its delicate blooms arrive just as spring settles in, and its sweet berries feed both wildlife and humans.In this ep...
2025-04-2911 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeHow This Tree Became a Symbol of Remembrance & RenewalFor centuries, people have turned to nature for healing, reflection, and renewal. And the dogwood tree is one of those plants that have offered this sense of healing.This week, I explore the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) - a tree that marks the arrival of spring with its delicate white blooms.From its role in the Charlottesville Dogwood Vietnam Memorial to its surprising historical uses, the dogwood has long been an anchor for resilience and remembrance.Covered in this episode:Why the dogwood tree has become a symbol of healing and remembrance...
2025-04-1516 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimeRediscovering Connection With The Sugar MapleThe sugar maple is more than just a tree - it’s a symbol of community, resilience, and the gifts nature offers us.And that’s why in this first episode of Plant Connection, I’ve decided to explore the deep relationship between humans and this iconic tree.The sugar maple has long been cherished for its wonderful colors and its role in producing maple syrup. But beyond its beauty and utility, the sugar maple holds a rich history.I’ll take you on a journey of discovery as we learn more about how the...
2025-03-2512 minPlant Connection: A Plant Podcast to Reconnect You With Nature, One Plant At A TimePlant Connection TrailerDo you ever feel stressed, stretched thin, and in need of a break from it all? You’re not alone.Welcome to Plant Connection. If you’re looking to reconnect with the world and find balance in the chaos, this podcast is for you.I’m your host, Lisa Cutshaw, a landscape architect and erstwhile plant ecologist – nature lover, farmer, hiker, seeker – and if you’re interested in exploring ways to deepen your relationship with nature and explore the many benefits that come with it, you are in the right place.In each episode, we’...
2025-03-0701 min