Completely Arbortrary

A fascinating tree with no shortage of fun facts, the Chinese-nutmeg (Torreya grandis) is a cornerstone of Chinese history and traditional medicine. And man, is it yummy (we think)!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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We continue our plant-based diet with a giant of the culinary world, the tamarind (Tamarindus indica). Whether in chamoy or pad thai, this sweet pea is the darling of many a regional cuisine, worldwide!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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You think ice cream grows on trees?! The ice-cream bean (Inga edulis) is one of nature’s greatest gifts to humanity. This agroforestry behemoth is South America’s fruity answer to sweet-toothed nature enthusiasts. And what is a fruit, anyway?

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This is Plant-Based Diet: Part Chew, a new series from Completely Arbortrary all about trees that give us food! In this episode, we discuss the sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) a tree that gives us not one, but TWO delicious treats: fruit and gum.

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Did ants invent agriculture? Kind of, yes! Learn how in this itchy episode on South America’s own almécega (Protium heptaphyllum).

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Hardship strikes the house of Arbortrary, so please enjoy this bonus episode all about our favorite process in nature, photosynthesis!

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No, it's not a Tree. But, it is a tree. The black tree fern has some incredible qualities, not least of which is the way it creates more ferns. Get ready to hear about some FREAKY stuff.

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About 1600 years ago, a group of refugees settled on a mucky swath of land that would one day be known as Venice. What followed is one of the greatest marvels of human engineering: a city built entirely on trees in water. Enter European alder (Alnus glutinosa), an ordinary tree with an extraordinary role in history.

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In this bonus episode, hear all about how Casey became Casey. His schooling, career trajectory, and the fated beginning of Completely Arbortrary.

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Sorry, it’s a fir thing. The white fir (Abies concolor) is no simple tree. It’s a part of broader complex of trees. What does this mean for in the context of its taxonomy? Well… it’s complex.

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A tower of clouds in the forests of Chile, and the center of a dendrochronological scandal, the Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) is a monolithic beauty and officially the giant sequoia of the south.

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What happens when good trees go bad? You get the laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia), a suitable template oak with a bad habit. Living in the wild, this tree does its thing as well as it can, but this Midnight Cowboy wasn't cut out for the big city.

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After living a life of stem for the last 7 weeks, we need a break! So this week, you get a bonus episode: what is a leaf? In this episode from 2021 we discuss what a leaf is, how they grow, and some defining characteristics. To coincide with this bonus episode, we are expanding our CONE CLUB to include our very first--you guessed it--LEAF! The Bur Oak leaf illustrated by Caylin Jayde. We hope you love it, and if you want to receive this illustration as a sticker next month and support the show, join the Cone Club over at arbortrarypod.supercast.com. See you next week!

This week's episode is sponsored by NordVPN - get started at nordvpn.com/TREES

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A grass so interesting it earned a spot on Completely Arbortrary, giant dragon bamboo (Dendrocalamus sinicus) is a stunningly large species with no shortage of interesting quirks. But… is it a tree, or does it look on enviously. Listen now to the exciting conclusion of Seven Deadly Stems! Then, listen for a segment of Trail Snacks, where we eat something we’ve wanted to try for years.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Pride, the downfall of many an ancient Greek hero, is the subject of today’s Deadly Stem. As is the Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra). How did this underwhelming tree become a regional icon?

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An oft-reviled tree, the Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) is the quintissential greedy little bastard. Its invasiveness is infamous, and the disappointments it presents are seemingly endless. Then we answer a listener question about “Stumpy”!

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Are you sensitive? Do you show aggression when you're afraid or perceiving some sort of attack? Do you have a mercenary army of ants at your disposal to dispact at the first sign of aggression against you? Then you might just be a bullhorn acacia (Vachellia cornigera).

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The common fig (Ficus carica): one of humanity’s first food obsessions. From covering Adam’s junk to covering other Eve’s junk, this plant has no shortage of cultural import. But does it deserve the valor it’s flaunted for hundreds of years?

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*Yawn*. The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) is one of the most recognized trees in the world, but boy is it lazy! Learn about the questionable roots (ha) of this tree and what makes it such a beautiful mess. Then we answer a question from 12-year-old Gus!

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We are honored to be joined by author, illustrator, and overall bird-and-tree-advocate DAVID ALLEN SIBLEY! We talk to David about his process, whether he's an artist first or a bird lover first, and have him describe a bird perpetrator to us as we sketch from his description!

To hear and see the full discussion later this week, become a Treemium Member at arbortrarypod.supercast.com

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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The Coco-de-mer (Lodoicea maldivica) is the most sexual tree on the planet, and we’re out to prove it. Listen to find out how this lusty tree is the perfect example of this deadly stem in this, our first episode of 7 Deadly Stems.

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Do you inherit strong muscles, deft fingers, or musical talent? Jean-Baptiste Lamarck sure thought so… and groundbreaking research suggests he may have been right! One of the central characters of this study is this week’s tree, the snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora)

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Feeling rusty? The western serviceberry sure is (Amelanchier alnifolia). In this episode, we discuss the russ(t) and how it affects our arboreal friends.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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The pondero—we mean, the Rocky Mountain Pine (Pinus scopulorum) asks us the ultimate version of the question: are you a lumper or a splitter?

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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There is a shakeup in the bird world: ornithologists are renaming every bird whose common name is based on a human! So why can't we do this for trees? We can, and do, in this bonus episode unlocked from our support platform Completely Arbortrary Treemium! Become a Treemium member today and unlock a treasure trove of cool rewards at arbortrarypod.supercast.com

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Everyone gets S.A.D. from time to time, so it's a good thing we have the witch-hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia), a tree (or shrub) that flowers in the darkest, dreariest months of the year. It's going to be okay.

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Welcome to Completely Arbortrary, you’re gonna LEARRRRN all about the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa). On this episode as diverse in “fun facts” as the jungle is in species, we talk all about the Brazil nut (seed). Stay tuned for talk all about this fascinating species and the work going into preserving it and its home. Featuring Rhett and Danielle from Wild Green Streams for Ecological Fiends.

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Oh this juniper is ever so western (Juniperus occidentalis). When it comes to ecological turmoil, when is it okay to blame a tree, and when should we blame ourselves? That’s the question we ask ourselves today with this “Greedy” tree.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Meet Phyllis Reynolds: original Portland Heritage Tree committee member, author of Trees of Greater Portland, and overall hardcore tree advocate. We sat down with Phyllis in the living room of her beautiful NW Portland home on the outskirts of Hoyt Arboretum, where she is a local legend and her name is spoken with mirthful reverence.

To hear the full interview and see the full uncut video, support Completely Arbortrary Treemium at arbortrarypod.supercast.com

To get a copy of Phyllis's book, check your local independent bookstore.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Seedpod theme song by The Mini-Vandals

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Fancy a game of conkers? No? Well how about a conversation about the ins and outs of arboriculture, and how it relates to the European horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)? Hear Casey’s first-hand experience regarding how to become an arborist, and what an arborist actually is!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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A tree with no (officiall common) name, the Falcatifolium taxoides is a derivative tree from the island of New Caledonia. It’s yew-ish, it’s sickle-like, and it’s a PODOCARP. Plus, it has a curious leech of a friend who depends on it for everything—the world’s only parasitic gymnosperm.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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It’s time for that special talk… about the rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) and its special friend and lover the Kākāpō. This bird bases its entire existence around this tree, and the feelings just may be mutual.

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PODOCARPS! Never have we ever discussed one of its ilk, much to the chagrin of thousands, we’re sure. And to start our mini-series of New Zealand trees, today we present the Totara (Podocarpus totara). With its curious leaf-like-needle-like-leaves, this conifer is so good at pretending to be a broadleaf tree, it’s practically become one.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Have you ever seen a column of gold (orange)? It may just be an oyamel (Abies religiosa), the sacred fir. Every year countless Monarch butterflies pilgrimage to the mountains of Mexico to spend their winter months clinging to these trees, but why? (Spoiler: we don't know.)

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Can we interest you in a forest bath? On the series finale of Treeyazaki, we discuss Princess Mononoke and the hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa). A tree ripe with VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and rich tradition such as forest bathing, this tree is a quintisential Japanese conifer.

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What does a nuclear disaster do to trees? Find out on this episode of Treeyazaki, where we discuss the Miyazaki film Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and the Japanese fir. Toxic jungles, giant bugs, and feudal politics. This movie was made for us.

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Who is Totoro? They’re a spirit, a kami, of a massive camphor tree. In this episode of Treeyazaki, we talk legendary animated film My Neighbor Totoro and one of its central characters, the camphor (Cinnamomum camphora). We also talk about animism and its role in every culture around the entire world.

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Welcome to Completely Arbortrary’s Treeyazaki, a month-long exploration of the trees of Studio Ghibli and films of Hayao Miyazaki! To start our journey, we visit a bathhouse for spirits in Spirited Away. This is a story about a young girl who finds herself trapped in the spirit world, and must escape with the help of a river spirit. This episode we’re talking Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan, and the importance of the Sakaki (Cleyera japonica).

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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In this BONUS EPISODE of Completely Arbortrary, hear the first trailer for our new December theme month: TREEYAZAKI, a month-long exploration of the trees of Studio Ghibli and the films of Hayao Miyazaki. Also, stick around for a big announcement about the way you support Completely Arbortrary. Then, listen to some cutting room floor audio from three mainline episodes!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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PRESERVATION! Join us for a conversation on preservation, John Muir, and the incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens).

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CONSERVATION! What is it? And how does it differ from preservation? Have you been using them interchangeably too? Well, no longer! In this episode, we discuss the Oregon myrtle (Umbellularia californica), and its relationship to conservation, and conservation’s relationship to the first Gifford Pinchot.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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With great distaste we present to you the Norway maple (Acer platanoides). This suburbanite tree of many faces is very popular, which might be the best thing we can say about it. But we have many good things to say about diversity. In every facet of life, diversity makes us stronger… and trees are no different! Let’s also define invasiveness and hear Casey’s extremely hot take.

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We’re poppin’ bottles on this very corky episode of Completely Arbortrary. Learn all about the cork oak (Quercus suber) and the dehesas of Spain and Portugal. These agrosilvopastoral lands are a marvel of sustainability and industry, and a beautiful template for letting nature lead the way. Also, stick around for some exciting BOOK NEWS from Casey!

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“A great tree, that is kind of grey!” The ghost pine (Pinus sabiniana) is one of earth’s most spookiest trees, and chock full of curiosities in almost every category of its being. FUN FACTS!

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It lurks in the dark, and it sees the darkness…. The honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), like most trees, has a stick sense. How does it perceive the world? It all starts in the dark.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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A million year old forest, the Laurisilva of Madeira are stunning ecosystems trapped in time and untouched by humanity. At the center of this forest is the Canary Island Laurel (Prunus lusitanica).

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What was the “happiest place on Earth” before it was Disneyland? And what is it before that? We go back in time today to explore the dark history of the changes of this land from indigenous river people to farmland to massive theme park, and the one tree that survived it all, the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis).

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Sweet Neem! That’s right, today we’re talking all things Curry Leaf Tree (Murraya koenigii), and all things curry! This Indian tree is one of the most important trees in India, and one of the most delicious. You may even learn a little something about “curry”. Then, we answer a question about kelp!

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The Margosa (Azadirachta indica) is one of the world’s most magical trees. Why? It’s in the oil! We call it neem oil, and its benefits have been lauded for centuries, for humans and plants alike. And join us for a discussion on Ayurveda, a traditional medicine system from India.

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What does it mean to be “extinct in the wild”? Just ask the Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha), who lives it existence only in arboretums and gardens. But it wasn’t always like this…. Then, we answer a question about TREE LAW.

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A curious and very special relationship exists between the Sourwood (and its family) and the fungus that feeds it. Find out all about this ancient pact, and hear us wretch and spit our way through a very sour segment of Trail Snacks.

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Bees go to trees and get pollen on their knees. That tree is very likely a Silver linden (Tilia tomentosa). On this episode, we talk about bees. Unlike the last episode in which we talked about bees, this one has a happy ending. Plus, learn about Honeydew honey (just don’t think about it too much before you eat it). To hear Casey’s “Save The Bees” rant, join the Patreon!

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One of the world’s loneliest and most critically endangered trees, the Sahara cypress (Cupressus dupreziana) stands nearly alone in the dead center of the mindblowingly vast Sahara desert in northern Africa. With only a handful of these trees left, we ask the question… what in the world is going on with these curious reproducers.

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When does a tree that seems to be able to provide so much good become a tree that is reviled for causing so much harm? Today’s subject is the beach sheoak (Casuarina equisetifolia) a tree that is loved and loathed by many, including the Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) of Keewaydin Island, where some well-meaning locals caused harm to the local sea turtle population in an effort to stay the gulf winds.

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The tree under which The Buddha sat and reached enlightenment, the sacred fig (Ficus religiosa) is one of the world’s most iconic trees. As an ending to our Summer Vacation series, we trip to Sri Lanka where we visit the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. Hear our uneducated takes on Buddhism, and a reminder about what dark waspy rituals go on inside your favorite figs. See you next Fall!

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The Baobab! One of Africa’s most storied and mythological trees, the baobab (Adansonia grandidieri) is one tall, thicc mother. Learn about how this tree is the camel of the arboreal world, listen to the myths associated with its topsy-turvy appearance, and learn about one of the best places to view them, Madagascar’s Avenue of the Baobabs.

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This week we head to Sierra Leone and take a look at their famous kapok, the Cotton Tree of Freetown (Ceiba pentandra). The kapok is a tree that has had uses for humans for thousands of years, but the Cotton Tree of Freetown was far more than just a useful tree representing the spirit of a nation.

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We’re going on a Summer Vacation! First stop, Oaxaca, Mexico, to visit the sacred and legendary Árbol del Tule (Montezuma cypress, Taxodium mucronatum). This glorious and massive tree sits squarely in a church courtyard, and has found its way into the zeitgeist of Oaxacan culture. With a sordid taxonomic past, this tree tells a tall tale. But is it really a tree at all…?

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What makes a tree popular? What keeps a tree popular? Ask the Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens), whose commercial popularity has lasted decades with no sign of slowing down. The “Norm” to plant nurseries’ Cheers, this spruce is a common character from corporate courtyards to suburban yards. Plus, we ask the question: will this tree’s popularity ever end?

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Our desert darling, the Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida) might just be one of the most desert-adapted trees in the west. Named after a funny pharmacist, this desert dweller is a team player as much as it is a lone wolf.

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A tree of many names, the Alaska yellow-cedar (Cupressus nootkatensis) is a quintessential conifer with a plethora of identities. And in this episode, we discuss the wood of conifers, and how it differs from the wood of its harder, more broad-leafed counterpart.

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If you like paniculatas, and getting caught in the golden rain, you’ll love this episode all about the golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata). An instant house favorite, this Chinese lantern tree marks Buddhist tombs, grows big but small, and makes for a fabulous alleé. The slogan of this episode? Right Tree, Right Place.

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In this woody episode of Completely Arbortrary, we discuss the jewel of the east, the Northern red oak (Quercus rubra). Wood facts, wood terminology, bad wood jokes—this is the episode that wood built!

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In our final installment of Completely Arbortrary’s Excellent Adventure, we take it all the way back to the year 0, Kazakhstan, where we discuss the wolf to our apple’s dog, the Wolf apple (Malus sieversii). Today, we know apple as a supermarket produce section monopolizers, but these are simply the domesticated version of the wild animal that is sieversii, a Kazakhstani native from a different time.

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A curse word ‘round these parts, the Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) is not a species in itself, but a cultivar of the great Northern white-cedar, a majestic and hearty tree of the North of America. This beauty can be found growing on the roughest terrain of the Niagara escarpment, so why do we plant it as a middling hedge and street tree in other parts of the country? Then, we undergo a massive rebrand of this stolen valor Tree of Life.

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The dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) was once the water fir, a tree endemic to a small valley in China. But thanks to the likes of Chinese foresters, a Japanese paleobotanist, and American plant explorers, this tree is now a worldwide sensation. Join us as we journey to China, 3,000,000 BC and 1940s Japan to witness the birth of a forest giant.

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It’s Completely Arbortrary’s Excellent Adventure! To begin this journey through tree-time and tree-space, we revisit the crown of the Pacific Northwest and the very first tree we covered on this podcast, the Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). A long-lived tree with indigenous significance, modern lumber hypersignificance, and a huge native range, the Douglas-fir has few downsides. Learn new facts about this arboreal everyman and its family on this bodacious episode of Completely Arbortrary’s Excellent Adventure!

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CW: Death

Straight from the Patreon (patreon.com/arbortrarypod) we give you this HUGE two-parter-turned-one-parter episode on how trees die. What does it mean to "die"? And how is human death different than tree death? Hear all about the process and the philosophy behind tree death in this unlocked bonus episode! We'll be back next with an excellent new series of Completely Arbortrary.

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Oh, Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus), how we love you (please love us back). A tree living out of its time that makes every effort to thwart attention and interaction, the Kentucky coffeetree may be the most curmudgeonly tree ever discussed on Completely Arbortrary. Learn about indigenous dice games, ecological anachronism, poisonous parts and scarification—this truly is a tree that hurts to know and must be hurt to grow.

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To conclude our miniseries on logging, we discuss sugi (Crytomeria japonica), a unique conifer that hails from the forests of Japan. In a nation spared by colonization, where tradition and modernity coexist, sugi and its growing and processing methods are emblematic of this non-dichotomous dynamic. Yakisugi (or burnt cedar) is a method of treating sugi wood by means of fire, creating a phoenix-like rise from the ashes, making the wood more impermeable, and more resistant to insects and decay. Then, we play Family Tree: Mario Edition!

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What do you get when you treat trees like corn? A plantation, of course. And a whole lot of Monterey pine (Pinus radiata). A tree that grows stubby and wonky in its native range, the Monterey pine grows like a poster child for logging in New Zealand, where its stick-straight form makes it the tree of choice for an unthinkably large swath of logging land. But oh, that cone...

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Welcome to Australia, land of strange plants. Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) is no exception! This superfluously hardwooded tree of the Darling Range of western Australia is home to many a marsupial, and sports an astronomically deep root system. But when it caught the attention of voracious European loggers for its striking wood, Jarrah's future turned irreversibly grim.

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Logging has seen a stark evolution since its origins. What started as a wildly dangerous and often deadly process done largely by hand is now a multibillion dollar industry facilitated by manmade machines. Herein we meet our character, the eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), a ghost from the early days of American logging. In the first of a short series on logging, we hear the tragic tale of this quintessential pine species and the lumber barons who ensured its demise.

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1000 years ago, Polynesians reached the islands of Hawaii. On their seaworthy canoes were only a handful of plant species, but among them was the divisively flavorful botanical wonderdrug known as noni (Morinda citrifolia). Known for its funky flavors and breadth of influence on traditional Hawaiian medicine, this pan-tropical tree knows how to grow just about anywhere a canoe can bring it. Learn all about noni and the much broader classification of 'fruit', this week on Completely Arbortrary.

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The devil went down to Georgia, where the Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) lives its days in peace and harmony. This record-breakingly long-lived tree found the perfect place to call home--the swamps of the Southeastern United States. There, it sheds stereotypes as well as it sheds its needles, growing with grace and beauty against the harsh and dreary landscapes in which it resides. This deciduous conifer is without a doubt and from top to bottom a unique species. Then, we play a new game all about puns: A Little Bit Puntree, A Little Bit Log and Soil.

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In this BONUS EPISODE from our Patreon (c. Treeson's Eatings 2022), we discuss three non-tree food plants we love eat during the holidays: vanilla, cranberries, and peppermint! While we take a breath after our SUCCESSION series, please enjoy this unlocked episode and learn a thing or two about some classic holiday foods.

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Late succession... the third and final act of a seemingly eternal stage play, and a self-perpetuating phase of the lifespan of a forest. The Yellow carabeen (Sloanea woollsii) dominates late succession in Australia. How and why is it so successful, and how does it set up generational success for its kind? In the final episode of our SUCCESSION series, we take a long look at the late stages of a forest, and discuss why it has the potential to go on forever. But nothing lasts.... Then, we put together our Board of Firectors at Crowson, Clapp, and Sons.

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Weed tree? Or... the unsung hero of mid succession forests? The red alder (Alnus rubra) is our official representative from mid succession forests, and the lens through which we view this second phase, the early adulthood, of forest growth. There are no shortage of benefits this tree provides to its habitat, so does it deserve its bad reputation? On our way to late succession, we find shade intolerant plants dying away, making room for our first "real" trees. But the saplings of today are the successors of tomorrow...

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When a forest goes through a massive disturbance, little survives. We begin our journey here. What happens in the first stage of the succession of a forest? Learn in this episode through the eyes of the staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), an en'tree'preneur of the early succession. MAKE YOUR MOVE.

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Thick, thorough, and quite enjoyable, today's episode is all about the koa (Acacia koa) and its endemism on the 5 million year-old islands of Hawai'i. This special tree is unique in so many ways, we lost count: fake leaves, exploding bark, instrument wood... this tree's got it all. We also chat about Hawai'i, and the incredible odds of life landing, rooting, and thriving on these islands. After our discussion, we revisit some "night tree" quesitons from Alex's appearance on the songwriting podcast Honest Jams.

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EPISODE 100! We truly made it. And to celebrate, we're joined not only by the obligatory Kool & The Gang, but by TWO true firs, the Subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) and the Noble fir (Abies procera). It's a two fir one! Then we take a trip down memory allée and visit our very first episode. Happy Episode 100 everyone!

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A big flower with a big name. This week we discuss the bull banksia (Banksia grandis) and the prolific capitalist-botanist it’s named after, Sir Joseph Banks of the Royal Society.

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What does it mean to be endemic? This. Tree. KNOWS. As does its homeland, the Klamath Mountains, a hotbed of endemic species. We chat with author and coniferman Michael Kauffmann about the Brewer spruce (Picea breweriana) and its unique place in this world.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Happy New Year Fungal Associates! We bring you a simultaneously revered and reviled tree: the red maple (Acer rubrum). Learn how this megasuperstar got its start, and how it rose to be the Starbucks, Red Lobster, and the Chris Pratt of the tree world. Happy 2023!

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THE QUINCE (Cydonia oblonga), a legendary fruit of myth and magic, lost to time and erased from history by its usurper, the evil apple. This golden-apple has a rich history and an ever better taste. Please enjoy our LAST episode of Treeson’s Eatings, and of 2022!

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We revisit the Triangle of Citrus to discuss a cornerstone of the shape, the Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata). We talk etymology, genetic diversity and interbreeding before a visit from a pair of happy carolers. Merry Christmas!

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This week we take a trip down the Mississippi River and dive into the world of the pecan (Carya illinoinensis). Our second installment of Treeson's Eatings, we chat about where this nut came from, how it got to where it is today, and just how lovely it truly is.

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This week we take another dive into history and question if the true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) really stands up to its name. This is our first installment of Treeson's Eatings, so get your spoons ready and listen in!

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Enjoy this bonus episode as we take a quick break. We put out these episodes twice a month and they are available in our Patreon. So go check it out and hear more fabulous conversations about other related topics and trees.

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This week we bring you the Tom Hanks of the trees, the white oak (Quercus alba). We take a deep dive in how this ubiquitous tree has been a cultural icon since before the "first Thanksgiving" and see how it has maintained a reverence unlike almost all others.

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This week, we really jump off the deep end and we throw off the yoke of traditional treedom. This week we're coving the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea), a giant of its universe. Listen in for a look at what it takes to be a cactus, and stay for a new word game.

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Wollemia nobilis, the conifer we didn't know existed. This week we discuss the Wollemi-pine, a tree before time, and its geological journey across the world. We also hear from Ian Allen from the Sydney Botanic Gardens on this tree and its questionable future. Watch your step!

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Headed down south to the land of the pine, our journey this week takes us to the flats of North Caroline. The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) has a storied history that means a whole lot to a whole lot of people, and has for generations. Listen in for a walk through the southern forests and learn what makes this tree so unique.

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN! This week's tree is another elder that grew up in a different time, the rainbow wood (Araucarioxylon arizonicum). A fossil of a tree, we dig into what petrification actually is, and then we build ourselves a Trunkenstein's monster. Very spooky.

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Last week we talked about a tree that has a unique--and deadly--relationship with birds. This week, the script is flipped and we hear about a bird that uses a tree to accomplish it gruesome agenda: the thorn mimosa (Vachellia nilotica).

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What happens when a temporary tattoo becomes permanent, and makes you permanently DEAD?! We find out in our most macabre episode yet coving the bird-catcher tree (Pisonia grandis). Join us this week as discuss this tree's unique means of spreading its seeds, and the dark repercussions.

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This week we present to you a case for and against the sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). A tree that is lauded by some and loathed by others, we take sides and present the merits and demerits of the subject tree and leave it for you to decide its fate. Which side will you choose?

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Due to a host of circumstances, our regularly scheduled programming has been postponed to next week! HOWEVER, we're taking this opportunity to tell you all about our Patreon revamp! And to share a Patreon episode - What is Phenology! We hope you enjoy it and we'll see you next week with the Sweetgum!

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Close your eyes and imagine a maple leaf. What is it that defines the quintessential maple leaf? Well today, we chat about the bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) and dive into how that standard image of a maple leaf is as accurate as you may think. Then we chat about the biggest news of the day with another edition of the Fungal Associated Press.

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A tree that has made no enemies, a tree that doesn't rock the boat, today's tree is the Canadian serviceberry, also knowns as the shad-blow, the shadbush, the bilberry, the juneberry (Amelanchier canadensis). This episode we have a classic fireside chat about this tree that has something for everyone, and on top of that we collaborated with Amanda Spinosa on a delicious recipe to show off the fruit of this wacky little tree.

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Alex and Casey go on a walkabout in the Overlook neighborhood of Portland to gander at some of the city's most gorgeous arboreal specimens.

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Today's story has us wondering who's the real victim. The Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) is a tree that has been used for millennia for cultural practices across the world, but it's also a tree that has its fair share of using other organisms for its own purposes.

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The grand finale in our symbiosis 4 Act play. In this special episode of Completely Arbortrary, we discuss the much beloved Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis). We’re joined by Peri Sasnett from the Glacier National Park Headwaters podcast to discuss where these trees are and where they’re headed.

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In our penultimate episode about the topic, we explore symbiosis across kingdoms, and dive into the relationship between the trumpet tree (Cercopia obtusifolia) and its evolutionary partners, Azteca ants. Then we reveal a new game!

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What happens when the guy who makes you pizza moves in and makes you pizza in your own kitchen--forever? Today, we get at that question and how it relates to cells in cells in cells in a tree that looks like parasols in parasols in parasols, the Japanese umbrella-pine (Sciadopitys verticillata). Buckle up.

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How many characters can one introduce in one episode? Today we find out. The Andean alder (Alnus acuminata) takes us on a journey through time and space as we take on our first foray into a series dedicated to symbiosis and all its manifestations.

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What does the purpleleaf plum (Prunus cerasifera 'Thundercloud') represent for you? For Casey and Alex, it's the suburbs, and boy do they despise it. This week, we get a little snippet of American History and hear about how the suburbs came to be, and how this tree has come to represent them in the worst way.

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There are more than 20 species of Polylepis shrubs and trees. At the highest altitudes (upwards of 16,000 feet, they grow as small shrubs. Lower, they can grow up 120 feet. So this forest is a bit unique, and we need to get to the bottom of it: IS it a forest? Or is it a shrubland? When does it become such?

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Should Man hold dominion over nature? And where did this idea come from? What got us in our current environmental mess in the first place. Today we talk the Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum) and tackle some BIG picture stuff too.

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A tree that truly grows its own way, the Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) is a prolific grower and a gorgeous shower. Listen along as we discuss this curious beauty and the special place it’s found in the world.

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Can a tree help you be smarter? This week we dive into that question and discuss how air pollution effects our brains, and how trees can help keep us operating at our top level. After our rating, we head LIVE to the Grand Finale of the Tournament of Champion Trees with Tobin Mitnick (@jewslovetrees).

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This week we have our work cut out for us. The black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) is our tree of topic, and there's no getting around it: it's an emotional roller coaster that pulls us in every direction at once. Listen in and make your own opinions on this complicated tree, and stick around for the second round of the Tournament of Champion Trees, with Tobin Mitnik as our guest.

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Join us this week where the trees have no name. But this one does! It’s Joshua! Learn all about yuccas on our last of three monocotic adventures.

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Our quest to further define "tree" continues with the STUNNING Socotra Dragon Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari). We talk all about this unique, altruistic "tree" and all the curious strategies it takes to get where it's going. Then we answer a question about tree albinoism!

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What exactly isn't a tree? This week we cover the other side of the controversy coin with a discussion on the Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei). We get into the thick of it and find out just what a palm is if it's not a "tree".

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One of the biggest trees around, the tuliptree is an ancient species and a champion of the people. Learn all about the arbitrary intricacies of measuring Champion Trees and select who you think will make it to the end!

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The fruit that went ‘round the world, and the fruit that we both like the best, this week we are covering the peach tree (Prunus persica). However, we go one step further and Casey tries to convince Alex that it's not just the peach, but everything like a peach that reigns supreme in a world full of fruit!

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A fruit tree that has been in all the right places with all the right stuff, the pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a folk hero among fruits. But that's not all to the story. This week we chat about the pawpaw and it's slow, methodical march to success from the tropics to Canada.

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What is a penny worth? This is the philosophical question we grapple with today as we debate the merits of the dogwood (Cornus spp.). This episode is a little different than our normal shows because we're covering three different dogwoods all at once, but we assure you that's not where the controversy ends.

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A cosmopolitan tree that has humble roots, the white mulberry (Morus alba) has been transported across the world to support our insatiable appetite for silk. This week we discuss this relationship and how it's brought both the worms and the trees to every corner of the globe.

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This week we chat about the famous southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) of the southeastern United States. A tree that has had many different identities, we discuss how this tree was the base of naval power during the height of colonialism and beyond, and how it's both gorgeous yet also fraught with imagery of a sordid past.

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On this BONUS EPISODE, we sit down with Lizzie Falconer and Jen Thomas from the podcast Shorts. to discuss the Ursula K. Le Guin short story Direction of the Road. Find Lizzie and Jen's podcast at shortsthepodcast.com or any your podcast platform of choice!

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The Lord of the Tree Rings comes to a flashy finish with the Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia). This week we chat about all things specimen trees! Then we round off the saga with some tree lore from Alex.

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This week we march on through Middle-earth, our path leading us to the Norway spruce (Picea abies) and into the Fangorn Forest, found on Vanilla-earth as the Białowieża Forest (bee-ah-wo-vee-EDGE-ah). Join us as we ruminate about forest management and what it means to preserve a forest. Then we play a family favorite game!

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The world is changed... In our first installment of The Lord of the Tree Rings trilogy, we discuss the pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) and take a deep dive into how we take care of trees as they enter their geriatric years, and the differences between American and European tree care. Then Alex has Casey solve a series of riddles... The Fellowship assembles.

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Do trees even exist, man? This week we finish our second part on the "idea" of taxonomy and we dive into this question using the beautiful, rugged, southern catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) as our guide. Come with us on this most pendantic of journeys.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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How do you see the world? How do you organize the world, all the plants and animals around you? This week we have a discussion about taxonomy that revolves around the gorgeous Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), and it opens a door to an entirely new way to see the world.

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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Does competition or cooperation get you further in life? That's the question we tackle this week while we discuss the paper birch (Betula papyrifera). We end this episode with a game that we all love, and get some ideas on how to love the trees in your neighborhood.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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The Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum), like nearly all junipers, is a conifer that took a different strategy to get its seeds dispersed. This week we chat about convergent evolution, and how nature can find the same solutions to problems in very different ways.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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What can't this tree do? The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) rounds off our two-part series on the oft-confused redwoods of California. This week we celebrate this tree and all that it is, then Alex finds himself in Jeopardy.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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What does it take to be a perfect tree? We'll come to figuring it out this week as we dive into a flowing conversation about the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Stick around for a discussion that explores everything about these trees, and then looks into where the term tree even comes from.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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The hickories (Carya) are a part of an ancient forest system that once existed across the entire northern hemisphere, from North America to Europe, across Asia to the Pacific and back again to the North America. This week, we chat about the shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) and discuss how it and it's closest relatives have been so successful, yet ended up so far from kin across the world.

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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The English yew (Taxus baccata) is one of our most storied, mythological, and metaphorical trees to date. Death, disease, toxicity, warfare... it has it all! Listen along as we discuss this poisonous protector of the dead. All hail Hecate!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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What do you do when the way of life that you evolved over millions of years was rendered useless in the blink of an eye? Something very similar to that happened to the Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera) at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, and it wasn't alone.

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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Has the European beech (Fagus sylvatica) been man's best friend since time-immemorial, or has it just been doing it best to impress the whole time? This week we discuss the complex history of the European beech, but the jury is still out if it's a natural history or unnatural.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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The King of Bonsai, this week we're welcoming the new Unseason of Completely Arbortrary with a discussion of the Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii). This tree has been cultivated for thousands of years as bonsai trees, and this week we chat about what Casey and Alex think of these trees and the art form they helped create.

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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Enjoy this BONUS EPISODE from our Patreon as a palette cleanser to this season of food trees, in which we discuss three drinks from non-tree plants; coffee, hops, and grapes.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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In our annual finally, we talk about the amazing cacao tree (Theobroma cacao). We discuss the sordid history of this funny little fruit, and we end the season with a deep dive into the real costs of our eating culture. As a palette cleanser, we play a new game! Then we discuss the future of Completely Arbortrary...

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The Meyer lemon (Citrus x meyeri), named after the tiger-fighting plant explorer Frank Meyer is this week's subject, but they go way further back than that. This sour fruit tree was traded to all corners of the world and cultivated for thousands of years before, and even to this day it can be a life saver...

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A tree that has been known to solve everything from rheumatism to syphilis, the sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) is a quintessential part of the history of the United States. The classic ingredient of root beer, this tree has a lot to offer, but may not be quite as pure as they thought...

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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The olive (Olea europaea). What more needs to be said about this historic tree? This week, we dive into how it is grown, where, and how orchards have developed and changed throughout history. The wonderful history of the olive, its groves, and its future are the topic this week.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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The nut that actually is a nut, this week we chat about the filbert (Corylus avellana) and discuss the philosophical distinction between what exactly is a shrub versus a tree? We ask the question can we even include this in a podcast about trees? Or do we need to reconsider the very nature of that alleged category.

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The pomegranate (Punica granatum), a tree of mythical history, is our subject this week. We dive to the depths of Hades back again, exploring the outsized role this squat tree has had in the myths and histories of nearly every religion and culture of the Mediterranean, Middle East and southern Asia.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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This week we chat about the Colorado pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) and its multitude of uses and fascinations. A group of pines, the pinyons, are an interesting evolutionary clade that tend to interbreed where their populations overlap. The seeds of the pinyon, though, are what has led to them being of utmost important to our culinary pantheons.

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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The center of conflict and conquest, the Helen of Troy of Trees, the nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) tree has caused international incidents and revolutionized the flavors of cuisines world wide. We talk all about how this tree and the Spice Islands it grows on impacted the world. Then we get a delectable recipe and description of nutmeg that will simply make your mouth water.

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A historic tree that still shapes our world today, the almond (Prunus amygdalus) is curious member of our culinary pantheon. Once so inedible that it would kill you, now it's one of the most popular and widely grown trees in the world. But with that popularity comes a cost...

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An oak that has got it all figured out, the holm oak (Quercus ilex) has made a friend that is worth having. This week we talk about the holm oak and its most famous fungal associate, the Périgord truffle mushroom. Then, we flip the script and Casey gives Alex a chance to play a brand new game...

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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Mango, one of the world's most beloved fruits is the subject this week. A tropical wondertree, we chat about where the mango is from and its numerous benefits. However, this tree and its family have a dark side that has Casey and Alex keeping their distance... Then, we hear from Daphne K. Jenkins, maker of mochi!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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From folk lore to your lunchbox, the apple (Malus domestica) has played a role in our society for thousands of years. In our Season 4 premiere, we chat about the American chapter of that story and we hear just how Casey feels about this ubiquitous fruit tree. Then, it’s another edition of Family Tree!

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Hi, we're Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson. You're invited to take a seat at the table for Completely Arbortrary Season 4: Plant-Based Diet! That's right, this season we're baking, sautéing, and grilling our way through a cornucopia of trees that feed. We're talking lemon tree, almond tree, and even the dreaded apple. And we're teaming up with chefs from all around to showcase the best ingredients our arboreal friends have to offer, and we're sharing the recipes with you! Can you smell what the trees are cooking? Season premiere on October 7th. Included in this episode is a FREE PATREON EPISODE all about Fungal Associates. Enjoy!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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This week we are closing out our Winter ‘21 Collection with the green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Though an immensely popular ornamental and street tree, this tree is a huge component of our forest ecosystems, and the invasion of an insect killing them off has had interesting waves throughout the forest. We talk ecosystem ramifying this week and discuss how little, seemingly innocuous, unconnected events can ripple through the forest ecosystem.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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This week we review the littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata), a European forest dweller with a heart of gold. We discuss how its generosity is a double-edged sword, and how the delicate web of its ecosystem was abused by humans at the cost of 50,000 precious lives.

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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The tree that’ll kill you back, the Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri) is our topic this week, and we bring in special guest Tobin Mitnik, a Jew who loves trees, to get his hot take on this giant coned conifer.

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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