Advertise on podcast: My Favorite Trees

Many children around the world grow up singing the nursery rhyme, "Here we go 'round the Mulberry bush." But what is a Mulberry bush? And have you ever even seen its tasty Mulberries in grocery stores? Turns out, this tree (not bush) is better known for something other than its fruit, and that fame has deeply pervaded world cultures whether you know it or not. Listen to find out how, but I'll give you a hint! The Mulberry is closely related to Fig Trees, so it may or may not have something to do with a particular insect. Tons of bonus content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

On this special field trip of an episode, I join arborist and host of the podcast, "This Old Tree," Doug Still on a hike through some Tupelo groves on Cape Cod. Together, we learn about the natural habitat of these trees, why they're so loved in Spring and Fall, how the folks on Martha's Vineyard came up with a unique nickname for them, and how modern humans have shaped the landscape of scenic Cape Cod. Want to hear more from Doug? Check out his podcast, This Old Tree on your podcast app of choice or at thisoldtree.show Follow him on social media @thisoldtreepod Behind the scenes footage of my trip to the Cape with Doug are available on Patreon, along with tons of other bonus content! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

The Myrtle is a small Mediterranean tree with significance tied to just about every culture of that region--due in large part to how fragrant the plant is. It enlivens Jewish holidays, protects one from curses, and is a display of love and beauty so powerful that it can start wars. Help me ring in the Jewish Tree New Year by learning how this fragrant tree can be so significant and how it shows up in our lives today. Tons of bonus content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

Happy New Year, tree fans! For the first episode of 2024, I present to you another story of a historical figure that helped reshape our modern relationship with trees and forests. I'm sure you've come across a number of charitable organizations that raise money to plant trees all over the world, especially in countries within Africa and Latin America. But how did all these groups get their start? Today, we'll learn about Richard St. Barbe Baker, an Englishman who came to be known as the first global conservationist. Baker's creation of the Men of the Trees group in Kenya over a hundred years ago has grown to be something with monumental ambitions and inspired many others to campaign for altruistic goals in the world of forest restoration. Tons of bonus content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

While there are many holidays that coincide with the Winter season, there are few that involve traditions I love so much as the Christmas Tree. And while there are many options for what kind of evergreen conifer to bring into your home and decorate with lights and baubles, the champion of them all is the Fir. What is it about this tree that makes it so well-loved at this time of year? I'll explore this species' relationship with the holiday, dive into why Russia ties a holiday tree to New Years instead, and provide some truly cursed Fir facts that'll make you forget that this is a Christmas special. I warned you. Tons of bonus content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

Depending on where you live, you may know this tree better as Cedar. There's the Northern White-Cedar, the Western Redcedar, and a few others. But these species, more broadly known as Arborvitae or Thuja, are in a completely different plant family than "true Cedars." Today, I'll address this name confusion and dive way deep into why these incredible and unique trees don't need to bank off of someone else's success. From sacred forests in Japan, to swamps in the Upper Midwest, to the groves of giants in the Pacific Northwest, Arborvitaes are some of the most deserving individuals of the title "Tree of Life." Tons of bonus content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

On this rare trip to the African continent, we look at a keystone savanna species: the Marula. These trees reflect the movement of the great Bantu Migration, play a key role in certain fertility traditions, and allegedly get elephants drunk. The Marula will also teach us that apparently everything is a nut tree. Tons of bonus content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

Of the many Pine species in the world, only a few yield seeds that we know as Pine Nuts. That's right, we're not done with nuts quite yet. In the US, we call these nut-producing Pines Pinyons. The Pinyon Pine is found all over the American southwest and has played a vital role in the diet and culture of numerous indigenous nations in that region for thousands of years. Come explore this history and learn about how Pine Nuts are viewed around the world. Tons of Bonus Content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

For the conclusion of this second Nut Tree Miniseries, I present you with the Macadamia Nut. An exotic snack with an absurdly hard shell that many associate with the island state of Hawaii--but one whose origins actually bring us to the rainforests of northern Australia. Learn about the aboriginal human relationship with this nut tree, how it became so strongly associated with Hawaii, and why a 21st century scandal sent its popularity skyward in South Korea. Bonus content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

The Pistachio is considered the most successful plant introduction to the United States in the 20th century. Up until then, they were a staple part of a diet that didn't stray far from western Asia and the Mediterranean. Though they've been a part of human life for thousands of years, their presence in the global market is just a few decades old. And even if you're at all familiar with how the western world perceives Iran, you may be surprised as to how much of an impact those relationships have affected this little green nut. Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

Welcome to the start of my second Nut Trees miniseries! Last year, I covered in sequence the trees that give us Almonds, Walnuts, and Pecans--but I've returned to the snack bowl to dig into the history of Cashews, Pistachios, and Macadamia Nuts. I simply had to start with Cashews since they are my favorite nut, so come learn about a South American tree that took on a South Asian identity. These trees probably have the weirdest fruits that I've covered yet, excluding Figs obviously, and there is inevitably some weird stuff that humans have done with them. Bonus content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees) Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast

The Pawpaw tree is a mysterious one, somehow being both my most requested topic and one many are likely to not have heard of. This tree species produces the largest native tree fruit in North America, but despite growing among temperate Oaks and Hickories, it has qualities seen only in otherwise tropical plants. Explore the Pawpaw with me, from its earliest impacts on human history to how it could find its way back into the spotlight today.     Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com) Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram Script Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com) Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast