Completely Arbortrary

Latest Episodes:

Trees Are The Champions, My Friends (Tuliptree) May 26, 2022

Show notes

One of the biggest trees around, the tuliptree is an ancient species and a champion of the people. Learn all about the arbitrary intricacies of measuring Champion Trees and select who you think will make it to the end!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drupe Fruit Riot (Peach) May 19, 2022

Show notes

The fruit that went ‘round the world, and the fruit that we both like the best, this week we are covering the peach tree (Prunus persica). However, we go one step further and Casey tries to convince Alex that it's not just the peach, but everything like a peach that reigns supreme in a world full of fruit!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

Support the pod and become a Treemium Member

Follow along on Instagram

Find Arbortrary merch on our store

Find additional reading on our website

Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please Send Us Pawpaws! (Pawpaw) May 12, 2022

Show notes

A fruit tree that has been in all the right places with all the right stuff, the pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a folk hero among fruits. But that's not all to the story. This week we chat about the pawpaw and it's slow, methodical march to success from the tropics to Canada.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

Support the pod and become a Treemium Member

Follow along on Instagram

Find Arbortrary merch on our store

Find additional reading on our website

Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Take a Twenty, Leave a Penny (Dogwood) May 05, 2022

Show notes

What is a penny worth? This is the philosophical question we grapple with today as we debate the merits of the dogwood (Cornus spp.). This episode is a little different than our normal shows because we're covering three different dogwoods all at once, but we assure you that's not where the controversy ends.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

Support the pod and become a Treemium Member

Follow along on Instagram

Find Arbortrary merch on our store

Find additional reading on our website

Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Mothrix (White Mulberry) Apr 28, 2022

Show notes

A cosmopolitan tree that has humble roots, the white mulberry (Morus alba) has been transported across the world to support our insatiable appetite for silk. This week we discuss this relationship and how it's brought both the worms and the trees to every corner of the globe.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

Support the pod and become a Treemium Member

Follow along on Instagram

Find Arbortrary merch on our store

Find additional reading on our website

Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Tragic Beauty (Southern Live Oak) Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

This week we chat about the famous southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) of the southeastern United States. A tree that has had many different identities, we discuss how this tree was the base of naval power during the height of colonialism and beyond, and how it's both gorgeous yet also fraught with imagery of a sordid past.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

Support the pod and become a Treemium Member

Follow along on Instagram

Find Arbortrary merch on our store

Find additional reading on our website

Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BONUS EPISODE - Arbortrary Shorts (feat. Lizzie Falconer & Jen Thomas from Shorts.) Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

On this BONUS EPISODE, we sit down with Lizzie Falconer and Jen Thomas from the podcast Shorts. to discuss the Ursula K. Le Guin short story Direction of the Road. Find Lizzie and Jen's podcast at shortsthepodcast.com or any your podcast platform of choice!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

Support the pod and become a Treemium Member

Follow along on Instagram

Find Arbortrary merch on our store

Find additional reading on our website

Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Lord of the Tree Rings, Part Three: Specimen Tree of Gondor (Stewartia) Apr 07, 2022

Show notes

The Lord of the Tree Rings comes to a flashy finish with the Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia). This week we chat about all things specimen trees! Then we round off the saga with some tree lore from Alex.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

Support the pod and become a Treemium Member

Follow along on Instagram

Find Arbortrary merch on our store

Find additional reading on our website

Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Lord of the Tree Rings, Part Two: Białowieża (Norway Spruce) Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

This week we march on through Middle-earth, our path leading us to the Norway spruce (Picea abies) and into the Fangorn Forest, found on Vanilla-earth as the Białowieża Forest (bee-ah-wo-vee-EDGE-ah). Join us as we ruminate about forest management and what it means to preserve a forest. Then we play a family favorite game!

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

Support the pod and become a Treemium Member

Follow along on Instagram

Find Arbortrary merch on our store

Find additional reading on our website

Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Lord of the Tree Rings, Part One: Concerning Tree Care (Pedunculate Oak) Mar 24, 2022

Show notes

The world is changed... In our first installment of The Lord of the Tree Rings trilogy, we discuss the pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) and take a deep dive into how we take care of trees as they enter their geriatric years, and the differences between American and European tree care. Then Alex has Casey solve a series of riddles... The Fellowship assembles.

Completely Arbortrary is produced and hosted by Casey Clapp and Alex Crowson

Support the pod and become a Treemium Member

Follow along on Instagram

Find Arbortrary merch on our store

Find additional reading on our website

Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.