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.

Welcome to the very first episode of Prop Culture!

Jos and Tanya introduce the podcast's mission: to create a sustainable, connected plant community by sharing news, gossip, science, and the "plant tea".

In this episode:

• Plant Provenance Launch: We soft-launch our flagship project—a platform to document collections, establish lineage, and fight plant misinformation.
• 2026 Trend Drama: We react to an article naming the Alocasia Silver Dragon and the infamous Philodendron Birkin as 2026's "IT" plants.
• Gotta Catch 'Em All: Jos reveals the 13+ "String of..." plants you can collect, including String of Turtles and String of Dolphins.
• Royal Approval: Jos shares the wild story of an orchid hybrid breeder awaiting permission from Buckingham Palace to use King Charles III's name.
• Community Crisis: We talk about the massive Houseplant Lovers Addict Group with almost a million members and an inactive admin.
• Future Plans: A look ahead at segments like Provenance Spotlight, Collectors Confessions, and an interview wish list that includes Monstera Stan and Dr. Block

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

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Next episode airs on November 11, 2025.