What an enriching show for those of us who love plants and all of life. And thank you for reminding us to be open to altering what we’ve learned and the shared belief that we can do better by growing our understanding and appreciating the interrelationships that we too, are a part of. It does come down to observing , paying attention, curiosity and good practices. And benevolence and humility. Our survival depends on it. Such a great pod!! How can anyone not see the effects of climate change is baffling.

As someone deeply rooted in the financial sector and passionate about STEM education, discovering the "In Defense of Plants" podcast has been an absolute revelation. Each episode is like stepping into a verdant, unexplored world, where the intricacies of plant life are unraveled with a palpable enthusiasm that's as infectious as it is educational. The host's ability to delve deep into the botanical sciences while keeping the discussions accessible is truly commendable. This podcast isn't just about appreciating the aesthetics of flora; it dives into the ecological, biological, and environmental significance of plants in sustaining our planet's ecosystems. What I appreciate most is how each episode is meticulously researched and presented with clear links to how plant biology intertwines with technology and data analysis—subjects close to my professional heart. "In Defense of Plants" also wonderfully champions the cause of continuous learning and curiosity, values that resonate deeply with my passion for STEM education. It’s a resource that not only enlightens but also inspires, bridging the gap between nature and technology and showing just how interconnected our world is. For anyone looking to enrich their understanding of the natural world or seeking a companion for their intellectual journeys, this podcast is a treasure trove worth exploring.

Just bought Matt’s book and am enjoying it so much. This is the best podcast and the topics are just great. I also bought “Darwin and the Art of Botany “ after listening to the episode of the same name. Both books are on Amazon. I’m planning on working my way through every single episode !

Love this podcast. I can't stand the babble in most podcasts! Let's get to the science people. This is a perfectly run informational cast 💚

Unfortunately after having listened to a dozen or so episodes it seems to me that the host is more concerned with convincing his guests that he’s knowledgeable about the topic which they are an expert on. I’m at the 39min mark of the succulent episodes and I don’t know anymore about succulents or the illegal trade in them than I did when it started. They have as yet devoted no time to describing a single species ,it’s habitat,collection or appearance. The entirety of the episode has been the host trying to sound like he’s asking deep over arching questions without actually asking anything specific or letting the expert share his expertise. And it’s been consistently like this ,he will ask the guest 4questions and then only let them answer one.

Willing to reevaluate papers and self-correction mechanisms actively discussed! This is a wonderful cautionary tale about what good science entails. Excellent podcast, guests, and discussions. Highly recommended.

Really?? The first thing I hear is climate change?? I already have a religious belief I’m tired of hearing yours!! Please make a pod cast for us non believers.

Typically I don't like podcasts that are purely interviews but I have been fascinated by the experts who have participated in this podcast. Even though the plant under discussion might not be found in my locale, I have not been disappointed by what I have learned. Thank you for your thorough research!

Used to be a fan, but my interest has waned. Way to man people in the podcast…the whole podcast’s “guests” crowd out what could be a really unique show. Everyone wants to be important. Quantity not quality…

I really love all the topics he chooses that are very interesting but things that are sometimes not well-known. Nice to hear from people doing research and in the field as well.

A lot of the guests have habits of smacking their tongues or lips in between words. It’s really gross to hear amplified. It makes it hard to concentrate on the material when I wince every couple of seconds.

Enjoying this podcast so much! Love the topics!

The topics are fascinating and they explain it well. 👍💛🌵🌻🌿

I live close to a few nature centers where bats can be viewed. One of my joys in life is to see them flying around above lakes at twilight. I am beginning to see more and more of them in Mid Michigan each year, so that’s a relief to me.

Have listened since the beginning. Great info from Matt and guests. Learning lots of great stuff. I live in SW Missouri so interview with Justin Thomas probably got me started. Minor issue for me is it's sometimes hard to hear the guest's comments. Don't know if it is me or my phone or the equipment. It is better than it used to be when I first started listening. Keep up the good work.

For anyone interested in plants, gardening, or nature in general this podcast is one of the best. Each episode features a plant related topic and interviews a scientist or expert in that topic. It also includes discussions on their own work. Impressively, a new episode airs weekly.

Browsing thru the episode list and the diversity of guests and subjects covered, I was excited to have found this podcast. Unfortunately the host seems to be targeting an audience of 5 year olds. I’ve yet to encounter any kind of substantive material, reasoning, argumentation.. Have not made it to the end of an episode yet, because I’d think that by halfway in you’d have moved past the “tell your story,” “oh, that’s awesome” section. And I’d enjoy the life histories more without the exclamations, which add nothing and only serve to send a shudder up my spine. One extra star because surely there’s something in here I’m missing.

Great podcast!

This show is truly wonderful!!! Thank you so much for making it. A gift to all who listen.

Really enjoying this podcast. Really found it quite by surprise, and find it to be helpful and enlightening. Thank you

I have been listening to In Defense of Plants for a while, and love it. Matt has a soothing voice, the guests are knowledgeable, and sometimes entertaining. My 8 year old occasionally listens with me, and I spend a lot of time explaining terminology, but I am so happy she enjoys it with me. Also, I just got my In Defense of Plants shirt, and excitedly wore it and showed it off to my friend today! (My daughter also now wants one...) Keep up the great work, Matt!

Good episode although I was disappointed not to hear advice for what to do if one’s property has dying white ash? Leave them? Or cut down?

Select podcasts are interesting but many tend to follow the same format. There is too much emphasis on needless background information for the first half of the podcasts. The second half often involves the host regularly replying to the guest’s content with personal long winded statements that can involve multiple logical fallacies, such as appeal to pity or false cause, and then tying in these fallacies with some anecdotal statements and then an ending statement, which is somewhat related, which he then asks the guest to agree with, thereby giving the impression all of his guests agree with his we message. This podcast is heavily skewed toward nativism, often acknowledges a changing climate, yet gives little attention to ‘introduced’ plant species which may be better suited to new climatic conditions. What is a native plant? Do we take a snapshot of time before Europeans arrived and always assume that is the standard of restoration? If so, for how long do we do this? Even if the climate is completely different and changing, or soil has been altered in such a way as to not accommodate native plant communities? Are native plant ranges allowed to change with a changing climate, or do they become invasive and unwanted the moment they cross our imaginary idea of their range? I’d be interested in more guest substance focused on actual botany, less host soapbox content, and hosting guests with different viewpoints so every episode isn’t a Kumbuya around a campfire.

This is a great podcast to hear about plants and current research straight from the experts. It's presented in an informal manner and new episodes are released often.

Too conversational, for me. Much time is spent talking about guest’s background, epiphany moments, the path they took to get where they are, etc. Matt’s topics are of great interest and his passion shines through but the content weak.

Great host, interesting guests, so informative! I love this podcast!!

I’m sorry to say that this podcast does not live up to its promise. Too much time spent exploring the guest’s background and such. I’m listening to hear about plants, not people. Save that for the podcast “extra“.

I love this pod with all my heart

Thank you for sharing your passion of botany!

Join my friends for a podcast Join me for a podcast Join my friends and me for a podcast

I have been enjoying the podcasts but I wish Matt would ask more questions and direct the interview. One of the world’s experts on rock gardening available, and I came away from the conversation having learned nothing about rock gardening. I learned that they both think rock gardening is amazing. Matt’s a good guy with wonderful enthusiasm but too often his conversations end up with two people saying how great nature is. I wish there was more structure to the conversations and more questioning directed at elucidating the topic. The enthusiasm is great, but you’re already talking to an enthusiastic crowd. Let the topic excite the listeners on its own and focus on questions.

Loved this episode. Informative and interesting guest speaker.

This podcast is exactly what I was looking for! I’ve gotten really interested in botany and horticulture in the past year, and this podcast has perfectly filled that new interest niche. Thanks so much for the fascinating content, Matt, and keep up the great work!

Keep up the good work, this podcast is great! It’s nice to have something educational and interesting to listen to at my boring day job. There aren’t many podcasts out there about plants, so keep doing what you are doing Matt! I am someone who was previously suffering from plant blindness, and once I was hooked, it was nice to discover your programming to continue learning about an amazing part of the world that was in front of my face the whole time. Cheers!

Thanks sir for translating your passion into a deeply informative but almost always followable traverse through the world of plants. Thank you many times over, you are inspiring to me.

A great technical but accessible podcast. I have been listening for a while now and always am learning something new. My job that pays the bills is nowhere near in line with my actual interests which are plants/ecology and what we can do to help the planet. The most recent episodes guest mentioned reading guide books just to read them and did that ever hit home! I am glad to be part of that weird tribe and can distinctly remember reading my Nation Geographic guide to birds of North America most mornings over breakfast. My interest in birds evolved to how plants impact birds and all lives. Keep up the great work!

Love this podcast. Listen 305 & question regarding more “accessible,” please keep technical, scientific yet excited about plants. Encouraging individual research, spark engagement. Posing questions. Thank you! Best wishes on published book.

Well researched and always fascinating! The passion for plants really shows!

I love your podcast! It’s so educational yet entertaining! Thank you for making this!

If you like plants to any degree you will LOVE this podcast, if you don’t, give it a listen and you will. Matt brings so much passion and excitement to every episode and all of his guests bring the same level. So much knowledge, so much excitement, this podcast is an absolute treasure. I cannot sing it’s praises enough.

While I sometimes appreciate the content, I feel like the show could be immensely better. 1. Do some legit prep for the shows out the guest and subject. Write down questions and send them to the guest ahead of time. Delve deeply into all aspects of the guest’s profession. How do they make money doing what they do? What are the barriers to entering that field? What are the negatives about the job? 2. Listen to previous shows and take notes on missed opportunities. For instance, in a recent show with the NYBG’s herbarium director, the host never asked basic questions like: “How does someone submit an herbarium specimen?”, or “How does your organization afford 30 employees?” 3. Refrain from saying, “Wow, that’s awesome.” We know plants aren’t awesome. It seems like 2/3 of every show is spent telling the guest how awesome they are, and how awesome the subject is. Stop it. It’s too much. And it’s just fluff that takes up too much time. 4. Clearly introduce yourself. I’ve listened to 50+ episodes, and I don’t know what the host’s name is.

I do field work in restoration ecology and this podcast is the perfect nerd content to get me through 10 hour workdays. Matt is the greatest, I absolutely love this pod

In depth interviews that are always a fun listen. Definitely subscribe if you're into botany, but even if you're just mildly interested by plants give it a shot. I've enjoyed episodes with flora I'm not familiar with at all and always end up learning something.

I’m a science geek. I do science for a living. I’m deeply fascinated by plants. This podcast series is garbage. If you’re a science person who likes plants, skip this. Not worth the time.

This podcast is wonderful, and not just for plant nerds. Knowing plants help us better know ourselves!

If I could only subscribe to 3 podcasts, this might very well make the list. And that’s out of ALL the podcasts out there, not just plant podcasts! So far the episode with Derek(spelling?) aka the crazy botanist aka botanical Highlander is still my fav. Thanks to you and all of your amazing guests, and of course a very special thanks to all the amazing plants! 😄💯

so informative and an array of information. i am thankful for this podcast trying to cure plant blindness and also spread knowledge. thank you

This is one of my favorite podcasts, and the best about plants. Check out the old episodes on the Ozark Chinquapin, butternut blight, and Hawaiian plant conservation.

Excellent podcast! If you’re interested in plants and conservation then this is a MUST listen.

I really love the topics and guests brought to this podcast. As a fellow plant lover and lifelong learner, the guests share such interesting research and insights that I still subscribe to this podcast. However, when interviewing, Matt misses great opportunities to ask the guest questions! From my observation, after the guest shares a piece of information, the follow up from the host is to re-iterate what the guest just said in the form of his own opinion on the topic (usually in an over-complementary way). Come prepared to the interview with some great questions and the interviews would be 10x better and less repetitive for the podcast listener!