Episode 9: A Variegated State of Mind (Season Finale)
It is the last episode of the year! We are wrapping up the season with a packed episode, spilling some plant tea, diving deep into the science of variegation, and rating some truly bizarre plants.
We start by debunking a questionable article about "windowless rooms" (sorry, Enid!) and clearing up the confusion behind the mysterious "Philodendron 69586" floating around the internet. Then, we shine our Provenance Spotlight on a collector favorite: Philodendron 'Dean McDowell'.
Finally, we get into our main topic: Variegation. Why does it happen? What is the difference between chimeral and genetic variegation? And why was 2020 the "Variegation Gold Rush"?
Thank you to all our listeners for an amazing year. We will see you on January 6th for Season 2!
In this episode, we cover:
☕ Spilling the Plant Tea:
The Windowless Room Myth: Discussing a "clickbait" article claiming plants flourish in windowless rooms (and why Enid Offolter was mentioned in it).
The Number Game: Solving the mystery of Philodendron "69586"—it is actually a typo for Philodendron bettewaterbury (or related to Croat's accession numbers).
🔦 Provenance Spotlight: Philodendron 'Dean McDowell'
A hybrid of P. pastazanum x P. gloriosum created by John Banta in 1988.
The touching story behind the name (honoring a friend lost to the AIDS epidemic).
A tribute to John Banta (1932–2021), a prolific hybridizer who also worked on seedless raspberries and Anthurium crosses.
🎨 Deep Dive: A Variegated State of Mind
The Science: How cell mutations in the meristem cause variegation.
The Types: Explaining Genetic (stable), Chimeral (unstable), Viral, and Induced variegation (remember Pink Congo?).
The Purpose: Hypotheses on why nature produces variegation (herbivore deterrence vs. camouflage).
🏆 Rate That Weird Plant:
Lophophora diffusa (False Peyote): A cactus that looks like a "green ball of clay" or... a pimple? https://www.reddit.com/r/BotanicalPorn/comments/1pnyc56/lophophora_diffusa/
Ravenala madagascariensis (Traveler’s Palm): Famous for its stunning, electric-blue seeds. https://www.reddit.com/r/plants/comments/1pownid/strange_blue_fibers_in_this_seed_pod_ive_never/
Microcoelia aphylla: A leafless orchid that photosynthesizes through its roots. https://www.facebook.com/groups/52597049839/?multi_permalinks=10162133715749840
Mentioned in this Episode:
Plants: Philodendron 'Dean McDowell', Philodendron bettewaterbury, Monstera 'Thai Constellation', Lophophora diffusa.
People: John Banta, Enid Offolter, Fabio Silva (Listener Shoutout!).
Connect with us:
Next Episode: We return January 6th with a huge interview!