Ah, yes.  We have finally arrived at one of my favorite subjects Tea.  With an incredibly rich history, tea is a famous beverage from across the world that seems to be common in vernacular of many parts of the world.  So just how did this beverage get it's start?  And where does it come from?

Come and listen to me lecture for a full hour about Tea.  From it's beginnings in China, to it's current form in many of the different countries throughout the world, we will talk about how, who, and why different cultures have made tea a part of their own drink profiles.  We'll also discuss some of the different types of tea, what makes them different and where some of the most famous teas are grown.  Enjoy!

Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/

If you've participated in any kind of aromatherapy you've probably heard the name Tea Tree thrown around quite a bit.  Where does the name Tea Tree come from and what exactly are the properties associated with it?  Today we explore some of these questions.

Tea tree, another myrtle with incredible properties, has many many uses in our life.  From cleaning to colds, tea tree is well known as a multi-faceted plant with a pretty incredible list of uses.  Native to Australia, the discovery of its uses can be traced back to the native people's of Australia who had been using it for centuries.  It's antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial properties even helped us during World War II.  Let's talk about it!

Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/

Sandalwood is probably one of the most common scents in the perfume world, known for it's woody smell.  So what is the deal with Sandalwood, and why is it so prized?  Today we are going to talk about what exactly Sandalwood is and why its one of the most popular scents we use in all kinds of products.

Sandalwood has been around for quite a long time.  A semi-parasitic tree, its slow growing but has some incredible properties.  Especially important to cultures of Asia and the Middle East, it has cemented itself as useful for humans for about 4000 years.  Which makes sense because even though it is believed to have originated in Australia, it somehow managed to spread itself in a lot of areas of Southeast Asia including some of the Pacific Islands.  Even now its scent is known to be unmatched, in some cases the oil's smell lasting for decades.  Come join us for this quick informational jaunt into the history of Sandalwood.

 Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/

It's that special time of year... Spooky Time!  In today's episode, we feature Halloween and it's history going from a old agricultural festival into the Americanized Halloween we know and love today.  Join us as we talk about the history of the Holiday, from spooky times to pumpkins!

Do you know the story of Stingy Jack?  Where did the name Halloween come from?  Why did Halloween come to America?  These are some questions I try to answer in today's episode about Halloween.  From the beginning origins of the Samhain, to trick or treating, to the carving of pumpkins we talk about what exactly some of the origins of today's practices come from and why this fall holiday has a heavy association with the Supernatural.  Special thanks to the book Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night by Nicholas Rogers which gave me a lot of ideas about what to look further into to give a well rounded view of the holiday!  And also Krista who added adaquate spooky music throughout the episode.

Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/

Eucalyptus is one of the most marketable plants in the myrtle family, and for good reason.  It smells amazing, and even as a dried plant lasts a long time.  But did you know there are at least 660 species of Eucalyptus?  Only a handful of which you've probably even heard of?  Join us on today's episode of PlantStories where we discuss Eucalyptus and it's many forms!

Eucalyptus is one of the oldest plants around.  It's even thought to have been on one of Earth's original supercontinents!  It's primed for survival in tough environments, and that probably why it's perfect as part of Australia's wildlife.  It's uses range from timber, to medicine, to floral arrangements, and it comes in a pretty interesting range of colors for an evergreen plant.  There's lots to talk about when it come to Eucalyptus, so I hope you'll join us for today's episode!

Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/

I know you've heard of this one, lavender is probably one of the most common names among household herbs!  And maybe it's because of this that lavender has soooo much to unpack.  Join us this week as we discuss the history and uses of lavender.

The history of lavender goes back at least 2000 years, and has often had a place in the world of common herbs.  Favored by many popular people and providing quite a few uses as a home remedy for times of stress, its no surprise that it was held in high regards all the way back to Ancient Greece and Rome.  Maybe you will even find some new uses for it on this week's episode!

Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/

Today's episode features some interesting information on Palo Santo, the wood of a tree from areas of Central and South America known for it's alluring citrus, mint, wood scent.  Join us this week for a look into this interesting plant with a rich history in an ancient history.

Many people burn Palo Santo in a similar way to White Sage, in that they use it to purify a space.  But many people don't know it's history and where it comes from.  Only harvestable from naturally dead wood in the dry tropical forests of these areas and full of ritual meaning dating back to the Incan empire, this tree is an intriguing addition to our season on common herbs. 

Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/

In this new Season, we're focusing on the herbs we love to use in common every life (that we don't eat).  This week we talk about White Sage, by far one of the most popular spiritual herb making it's rounds on Instagram right now.  Lend us your ear as we discuss White Sage, and it's history rooted in Native American culture, current pop culture, and cultural appropriation.

White Sage is an incredible plant.  Known for it's silvery green "hairy" leaves, that feels soft, earthy, and welcoming.  It's a plant with a huge amount of history and cultural importance to Native Americans because of it's native habitat in the American Southwest.  And more recently, this plant has begun to appear across social media platforms and in more forms than ever.  But just what exactly is the importance of this plant?  What can it do for us, and why might you be appropriating it?  Join us this week as we discuss White Sage.

Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/

In this episode of PlantStories, we talk about the cute plant Japanese Honeysuckle.  It's another woody vine that has some invasive fast growing tendencies, but also is a fan favorite for people to plant in their yard.  Join us as we talk about this week's invasive plant, the Japanese Honeysuckle in our Invasive Plants season finale.

Plants originating in Asia definitely seem to captivate us, but like most others the Japanese Honeysuckle can really overtake native plants and habitats.  Almost like a weird combo of Wisteria and Kudzu, Japanese Honeysuckle can girdle and crowd out other plants with ease.  It's a real shame because of it's tasty honeysuckle flowers and cute leaves that make it such an attractive plant.  We're going to talk about a little bit of this plant's history and just how important it's been to Asian medicine, possibly giving us some insight in how this plant could be good for us in the future.

Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/

Wisteria is a plant that can create one of the most beautiful types of atmospheres on Earth.  Known for it's beautiful draping flowers, the are often added to archways and trellises to add a beautiful scent and draping beauty to a yard or garden.  But that majesty can sometimes also be quite a nuisance.  Join us today as we talk about Wisteria!

Some people don't know that there are actually a few types of Wisteria, including one native to North America.  However, it is the Japanese and Chinese varieties that are more desired because of their solid viney structure.  It has the power to easily and quickly climb structures without much trouble which can be a positive or negative thing.  Still no one can deny it's sweet fragrant blossoms enrichment of our lives and surrounding.  Join us this week while we discuss the Wisteria plant!

Music Clips by Kevin Macleod at Incompetech https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/