Ep. 39 Plant Evolution: Kid Q&A

Kids ask the best nature questions! For this episode, a class of elementary-school students prepared a list of questions about plants for Sean and Erin to answer. The best part, of course, is that these are questions few adults would think to ask, and they let our hosts explore all sorts of fascinating topics. How did plants come to be the way they are? Why did they evolve to have roots (or no roots!) and leaves and fruit? What makes one tree grow big leaves while another one has narrow needles? We talk evolutionary niches, the tree of life, food chains, and even how plants move water and sugar through their cells. Step into our plant-life classroom and see what you can learn from the curiosity of children! Comments? Feedback? Want your garden question to be featured in a future Q&A segment? Email us, reach out over social media, or get Q&A priority by supporting us on Patreon. Discord: https://discord.gg/K6wF9dY4Ja Bluesky: @plantsalwayswin.com TikTok: @plantsalwayswinpodcast YouTube: @plantsalwayswinpodcast Website: www.plantsalwayswin.com Credits Website Design and Illustration by Sophia Alladin Intro and Outro Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/when-my-ukulele-plays License code: GWOIMMBAS15FG6PH Citations Bryophytes and Tracheophytes? Categories of Plants With and Without Roots Plant diversity. (n.d.). NatureWorks. https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/nwep14b.htm The Parts of a Leaf Libretexts. (2022, May 4). 13.1: Leaf parts and arrangement. Biology LibreTexts. https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Botany/A_Photographic_Atlas_for_Botany_(Morrow)/13%3A_Leaves/13.01%3A_Leaf_Parts_and_Arrangement Making Paper from Plants at Home Quillen, K. (2023, October 3). How to make paper from plants – Mother Earth news. Mother Earth News – the Original Guide to Living Wisely. https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/making-paper-from-plants-zm0z17jjzqui/ Lipman, B. (2024, October 16). Paper from Iris and Daylily. https://www.handpapermaking.org/post/paper-from-iris-and-daylily Timestamps 00:13 Introduction 01:13 What’s Growing On: Sean’s Seed Saving 02:56 What’s Growing On: Erin’s Season Extension 05:53 Do All Plants Have Roots? Let’s Talk Bryophytes 06:08 Plants’ Vascular Systems: Xylem and Phloem 08:40 Why Do Plants Need Roots? 11:15 Many Types of Roots 12:29 What is the Blade on a Leaf? 14:40 Why do Oak Leaves Get So Big? 20:22 How Fast Can Some Flowers Grow? 26:17 Why Do Plants Grow Food? 32:51 How Do Plants Survive the Winter? 41:38 Erin’s New Picture Book: If You Go Walking 42:58 How Do You Make Paper with Plants? 46:10 Paper Recycling Tangent 47:06 Making Paper from Daylilies and Iris 54:33 Outro and Contact Us