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:

Email | Website | Reddit

Next Episode: We return January 6th with a huge interview!

In Episode 07, Tanya is pre-recording before traveling back to Czechia and braving the frozen north (Reykjavik), and Jos is embracing his inner Grinch. We dive deep into the science, myths, and market impact of Tissue Culture—is it saving the hobby or ruining it? Plus, we rate a plant that literally looks like... well, lips.

In this episode:

Spilling the Tea (News):

• Holiday Cactus Confusion: Do you have a Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter Cactus? Jos explains the difference (and blames capitalism).
• 2025 Trend Watch: An article claims Hoya and Rare Cacti are the "new" IT plants. We react (and spot the "mealybug" in the room).
• Book Club: Tanya recommends "The Plant Book" by Tammy Huynh—a perfect last-minute gift for the plant nerd in your life.

Feature: The Truth About Tissue Culture (TC):

The Science: How we clone plants from a single piece of tissue (and why "shoots before roots" matters).

The Market Impact: From the $1,000 Monstera obliqua Peru crash to mass-market availability.

The Stigma: Are TC plants weaker? Does it kill the excitement of collecting? Tanya and Jos debate the "authenticity" of lab-grown vs. seed-grown.

Genetic Anomalies: Why mutations like the Monstera 'Thai Constellation' are actually TC's "happy accidents."

Rate That Weird Plant:

• Selenicereus anthonyanus: The dragon fruit plant that actually looks like a "Fishbone" Cactus relative.
• Palicourea elata: The infamous "Hooker's Lips" (or Labios de Puta)—nature is getting provocative.
• Monotropa humile: The ghostly white "Corpse Plant" that gets a perfect 10/10 weirdness score.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Book: "The Plant Book" by Tammy Huynh
• Video: Kaylee Ellen: "What Really Happened to Rare Plants"
• Plant Provenance: https://plantprovenance.com

Connect with us:

• Email: PropCulture@hortikult.com
• Website: https://hortikult.com
• Facebook Group: Spill The Plant Tea

In Episode 06, we are fan-girling hard! Jos and Tanya sit down with a true icon of the plant world, Joep Moonen, to hear the wild (and funny) true story behind the Philodendron that bears his name. Plus, we catch Netflix making a major botanical error and discuss why plant collectors are "a special kind of crazy."

In this episode:

• Spilling the Tea (News):

  • Stranger Things Blooper: Jos spots a Philodendron Birkin in a scene set in 1987. Why is that a problem? (Hint: The plant didn't exist yet!)

  • The Plant Villain: We discuss the series Absentia, where the bad guy plots world domination from a stunning greenhouse.

  • Stereotypes: Are plant collectors nerds, socially awkward, or just diverse? We reveal the results of our latest survey.

  • Ghost Orchid Crisis: The Dendrophylax lindenii is disappearing from Florida swamps. We discuss the heartbreaking reality of poaching "The Canary in the Coal Mine."

• The Interview: Joep Moonen:

  • Joining us from his tropical paradise in French Guiana, the naturalist and legend shares his life story.

  • The P. joepii Story: How a rare plant eaten by ants fell into his canoe, and how a joke with Julius Boos led to it being named after him.

  • Daily Life: From waking up with the birds to exploring the Oyapock River.

  • A Message to Collectors: Joep’s philosophy on respecting nature and why we must protect the rainforests.

• Rate That Weird Plant:

  • Haworthia cooperi: The "Boba Tea" succulent. LINK

  • Selaginella ostenfeldii: The "Mermaid" spike moss that looks almost neon. LINK

  • Pterisanthes polita: A plant so weird it looks like a toddler made it out of Play-Doh. LINK

Mentioned in this episode:

• Joep Moonen LINK

• International Aroid Society (IAS): https://www.aroid.org

• Plant Provenance: https://plantprovenance.com

Connect with us:

• Email: PropCulture@hortikult.com

• Website: https://hortikult.com

In Episode 5, we celebrate our 5-week anniversary (and our 37 subscribers!) by tackling the darker side of plant collecting—from nightmare Homeowners Associations to the ethics of stealing seeds from botanical gardens.

In this episode:

🪴 Spilling the Tea (News):

🗞️ HOA Nightmare: We react to the Reddit horror story of "The Botanist" whose 20-year succulent collection was destroyed by a gardener on HOA orders.

🗞️ Phytokleptomania: Are you a plant thief? We discuss the compulsion to steal cuttings and berries (and Jos confesses to his own crime at a botanical garden).

🗞️ Glow-in-the-Dark Succulents: Jos reveals new research on succulents injected with phosphorus to glow in rainbow colors. Cool science or tacky kitsch?

👀 Feature: The Power of Reviews:

🫰🏼 Why reviews are the "digital currency" of the 21st century.⭐️ The problem with current plant reviews: Why generic 5-star systems fail when FedEx crushes your box.

👍🏼 Plant Provenance Solution: We explain our new granular review system (rating Communication, Packaging, Price, and Quality separately) and the "Agree" button that gamifies trust.

🤯 Deep Dive: Monstera 'Burle Marx Flame':

Is it a species or a hybrid? Jos breaks down the enigma of this plant found in Roberto Burle Marx's garden.

🤪 Rate That Weird Plant:

🪨Pseudolithos cubiformis: The "cube-shaped" succulent that looks like a frog with warts.

🦴 Ceropegia fusca: The "mummified cat tail" from the Canary Islands.

🤭 Hydnora africana: The parasitic "vegan vagina" that smells like feces.

Mentioned in this episode:

Plant Provenance: https://plantprovenance.com

Research: "Phytokleptomania" by Dr. Saptarshi Dey: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/397876144_Phytokleptomaniac_A_Playful_Neologism_for_Compulsive_Plant_Collecting

⁨@MonsteraStan⁩ 's BMF Green-on-Green: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQcHT61DA8I

⁨@summerrayneoakes⁩ RBM Tour: https://youtu.be/d0-Nh5BZcJs?si=3yRSjre7G8BbYqYR

Pseudolithops cubiformis: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1004505365008761&set=pcb.1004505475008750

Ceropegia fusca: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/118514638

Hydnora africana: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=973811300984830 and https://www.facebook.com/groups/142126849181880/posts/9981126478615152/

Connect with us:

Email: PropCulture@hortikult.com

Website: https://hortikult.com

In Episode 4, Tanya tries to convince Jos to cure a headache with a disgusting espresso-lemon concoction. And she gets worked up about the "fast fashion" of Christmas plants. We also head deep into the jungles of Borneo for a reality check on what it means to be a modern "Plant Hunter."

In this episode:

• Spilling the Plant Tea:

  • Anthurium Confusion: Jos finally clears up the mess between Anthurium 'Darkest Panama', BVEP, and A. antolakii.

  • Viral Drama: The Oxford University Rafflesia discovery video went viral, but who got erased from the narrative? We discuss the backlash regarding the Indonesian researchers.

• Feature: The Poinsettias:

  • Why Poinsettias are the ultimate "fast fashion" of the plant world.

  • The Aztec history behind the name (yes, it involves bird poop).

  • Jos rates new Poinsettia cultivars: From 'Freedom Peppermint' to the 'Country Kilts' (the "Red Thai Constellation" of Poinsettias).

• Interview: Fraser Cook (@BotanicalOtter):

  • Joining us from Borneo, Fraser discusses reclaiming the term "Plant Hunter."

  • "Plant Flexing": Why influencers showing off expensive poached plants is the "Tiger King" energy of horticulture.

  • Fair Trade Plants: Can we get Forest Stewardship Council certification for our houseplants?

  • Overrated/Underrated: Why Anthuriums are oversaturated, and Scindapsus deserves more love.

• Rate That Weird Plant:

  • The "Cage" Hoya (Hoya decipulae).

  • The "3D Printed" Plant (Aponogeton madagascariensis).

  • The "Penile" Bucket Orchid (Coryanthes) and what Jos saw

Mentioned in this episode:

• Guest: Fraser Cook @botanicalotter

• Viral Rafflesia Story: Dr. Chris Thorogood and the Oxford University

• Plant Provenance: https://plantprovenance.com

Connect with us:

• Email: PropCulture@hortikult.com

• Website: hortikult.com/podcast

We are celebrating hitting #4 on the Belgian podcast charts for gardening! In this episode, Jos and Tanya spill the tea on insane market prices, debate plant fast fashion, and chat with a true legend of the Aroid community.

In this episode:

• The $26,000 Plant: We react to the news of a variegated Anthurium luxurians selling for $26k on the Palmstreet app and discuss if investment plants are making a comeback.

• Fast Fashion Plants: Costa Farms dropped the Musa 'Pink Nono' for under $50, crashing the market price. Is this good for hobbyists or bad for sustainability?

• Plant Pet Peeves: We list the things that drive us crazy, including:

  • Nursery tags that just say "Foliage".

  • Putting ice cubes in your orchids.

  • The myth that light brings back lost variegation.

  • The Ultimate Sin: Painted and plastic plants.

• Interview: Bill Rotolante (Silver Krome Gardens): We sit down with the President of the International Aroid Society (IAS) to discuss:

  • The 15-year cycle of plant market booms.

  • Why Adelonema is the most underrated genus.

  • The hilarious story of what happened to the original SKG.com web domain (Spoiler: It involves adult content).

  • A call to support conservation efforts in the face of deforestation.

• Rate That Weird Plant: Jos challenges Tanya to rate the sun-stressed Hoya imbricata (which looks like "raw meat"), the rock-like Ceropegia bosseri, and the geometric Decarya madagascariensis.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Palmstreet App

• Silver Krome Gardens: https://silverkrome.com

• International Aroid Society (IAS): https://aroid.org – Please consider donating to their conservation and research grants!

More links

• Hortikult (⁠⁠https://hortikult.com⁠⁠)
• Plant Provenance (⁠⁠https://plantprovenance.com⁠⁠)
• Instagram (⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/plantprovenance⁠⁠)
• Facebook (⁠⁠https://fb.com/spilltheplanttea⁠⁠)
• Please email us to submit your tea, confessions, or requests and feedback: ⁠⁠propculture@hortikult.com

In this episode, Tanya and Jos talk about the latest news in plants, share a Palm Street App review, and discuss their first Collector's Confession. Then they have a look at three really weird plants, and close out with a deep dive into how platforms like Etsy have opened the floodgates for scammers.

LINKS AND REFERENCES

Latest news

• Pandanus montanus at GUM on Facebook

• FB Group Philodendron Enthusiasts, „Most Hated Philodendron“ thread
• FB Group Philodendron Enthusiasts, „Which Philodendron would you keep?“ thread

Rate that weird plant

1. Papilionanthe Teres ‘Olympic Rings’ Orchid (link)
2. Crassula umbella (link)
3. Alocasia plumbea ‚Flying Squid‘ (link)
   

MAIN TOPIC

The 'Rare' Plant Problem: How Etsy & Co.'s Green Boom Sprouted a Crop of Scams

Sources: Sale Samurai - Etsy SEO Analytics & Keyword Search Volume and Spill The Plant Tea

More links

• Hortikult (⁠https://hortikult.com⁠)
• Plant Provenance (⁠https://plantprovenance.com⁠)
• Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/plantprovenance⁠)
• Facebook (⁠https://fb.com/spilltheplanttea⁠)
• Email us to submit your tea, confessions, or requests and feedback: ⁠propculture@hortikult.com
  

Next episode airs on November 18, 2025.