E08: "Are We Woke Yet?" Addressing Problematic Names. Our Guest Memo, aka Houseplanty Goodness, on the Future of Collecting and Green Dreams

In Episode 08, Jos and Tanya brave the winter blues (and Christmas trees) to tackle the heavy hitters: Is the plant community finally "woke" yet? We discuss the 2024 vote by 100 scientists to remove racial slurs from Latin names and why common names like "Wandering Dude" might only be a superficial fix.We are also joined by the wonderful Memo (aka Houseplanty Goodness) to discuss "Aroid Fatigue," his dream of a geothermal greenhouse, and why he strips naked after visiting his allotment.In this episode:Spilling the Tea (News):Job Alert: The International Aroid Society (IAS) is looking for new editors for their scientific journal, Aroideana.The "Most Hated" Plants: A poll reveals the top 10 plants collectors will never buy again. Number 1 is Calathea (obviously), but Number 2 might surprise you.New Cultivar Alert: Meet the Monstera 'Bulbasaur', a stable, mint-variegated sport discovered by Yang Liu.Deep Dive: What’s in a Name?The Madrid Vote: In July 2024, the International Botanical Congress voted (narrowly!) to change 200+ scientific names containing the racial slur caffra.Common Names: Discussing Avery Rowe’s article on Tradescantia and the history behind the name "Wandering Jew".Interview: Memo (Houseplanty Goodness):Aroid Fatigue: Why YouTube audiences are asking for anything but another Philodendron.Ethical Botany: Why we need to decolonize plant names and respect local indigenous history.Green Dreams: Memo’s plan for a Victorian-era-style greenhouse powered by geothermal energy.Rate That Weird Plant:Euphorbia obesa: The "Baseball Plant" that looks like a mint-colored stress ball.Trachyandra tortilis: A succulent that looks like ribbon pasta (or lasagna noodles).Euphorbia tirucalli 'Fire Sticks': The "naked lady" plant with toxic latex that can cause blindness.Mentioned in this episode:International Botanical Congress, 2024, Madrid: LinkPotMonsterGarden: Creator of Monstera BulbasaurGuest: Memo (Houseplanty Goodness and @TrojanKing9)Article: Avery Rowe on Tradescantia names.Plant Provenance: https://plantprovenance.comConnect with us:Email: [email protected]: https://hortikult.com/podcastReddit: Spill The Plant Tea