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Leaf it to Us

Leaf it to Us

Hosts Nora and Aly explore the fascinating science of plants and the ways they intersect with our daily lives.

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  • 23 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 45 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • #25
    September 10 · 52 min

    S2 Episode 10 - Can You Pepper-Spray an Angry Bird?

    Plants have devised many chemical defenses to ward off trouble, but they don’t always work as intended. Some animals are immune to those defenses, and some strange species even seek them out for their own enjoyment! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #24
    August 27 · 52 min

    S2 Episode 9 - Grafting: When Two Become One

    *There were some issues with the original upload of this episode. Those have been fixed! Sometimes, you can just tape two plants together and they’ll become one plant. How does that even work? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #23
    August 13 · 45 min

    S2 Episode 8 - Australopithecus Salad: What Would Lucy Eat?

    Last season, we had so much fun cooking up a Jurassic salad that we’re doing it again! Join Nora and Aly for another episode of speculative cooking (Cook-E!) as they plan out a salad for our hominin ancestors to enjoy in the Pliocene Epoch of Africa. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #22
    July 30 · 51 min

    S2 Episode 7 – The Wood Wide Web

    There’s a secret world beneath the soil, where networks of fungi connect plant roots to each other in a massive wood wide web. Just what sorts of materials and information are being transmitted through this network? This episode, Aly explains what we know and what we don’t! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #21
    July 16 · 50 min

    S2 Episode 6 - Alpine Plants: Beyond the Tree Line

    In the high Arctic and high mountains, plants get tiny and tough! This episode, Nora and Aly gush over the incredible adaptations that allow plants to survive the wind, cold, and darkness beyond the tree line. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #20
    July 2 · 36 min

    S2 Episode 5 - Acacias!

    Acacias are Aly’s favorite plants! What are they? Where are they? Why does Aly love them so much? And can Aly convince Nora to love them, too? Listen in and find out! We’re doing something new this season, a plant-themed book club called Reading Between the Pines! Follow us at the links below to join in! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #19
    June 18 · 43 min

    S2E4 - Rolling, Floating, and Exploding!

    All plants need to send their seeds off into the world, but some do it rather energetically – or even explosively! This episode, we explore the various ways that plants bounce, bob, and burst their way to the next generation. We’re doing something new this season, a plant-themed book club called Reading Between the Pines! Follow us at the links below to join in! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #18
    June 4 · 46 min

    S2E3 - What's Up With Weeds?

    Sometimes there are plants where we don’t want them! What makes weeds so … weedy? Why do we dislike them so much? And is a weed truly in the eye of the beholder? We’re doing something new this season, a plant-themed book club called Reading Between the Pines! Follow us at the links below to join in! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #17
    May 21 · 56 min

    S2E2 – Life Cycle of a Forest

    Forests have age, and it’s not just about the age of the trees! What happens as a forest grows older? How is a young forest different from an old forest? Answers to these questions and more in this episode! We’re doing something new this season, a plant-themed book club called Reading Between the Pines! Follow us at the links below to join in! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #16
    May 7 · 54 min

    S2E1 - What's a Berry Anyway?

    Welcome to Season 2! To start off the season, Nora asks Aly to explain the complex and confusing science behind what is and isn’t a berry! Did you know bananas are berries? Also watermelon! But strawberries and raspberries aren’t! What’s the deal? Listen to find out! We’re doing something new this season, a plant-themed book club called Reading Between the Pines! Follow us at the links below to join in! Please consider supporting Leaf it to Us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Many places to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #15
    May 1 · 2 min

    Season 2 Trailer!

    Season 2 is about to bloom! Episode 1 drops on May 7th! As always, please consider joining us on Patreon, Discord, Instagram, and Bluesky to keep updated and engage with our lovely community! And join us for something new: Reading Between the Pines, our plant-themed book club! Details on Discord! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #14
    Dec 24, 2025 · 29 min

    Episode "0" - Christmas Plants

    Back in January 2025, during the planning of Season 1, Nora and Aly sat down to record an “Episode 0” to get a feel for the process and decide if they really wanted to make a podcast after all. Spoilers: they did. Merry Christmas! Some plants are famously active in the winter. So famous, in fact, that they have become immediately recognizable symbols of Christmas and Winter Solstice holidays. This episode, Nora and Aly talk Christmas trees, mistletoe, holly and ivy! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #13
    Nov 6, 2025 · 1 hr 24 min

    Season 1 Mailbag

    Nora and Aly wrap up Season 1 by answering a bunch of questions from fans! A huge thanks to all of our listeners and supporters for making this podcast happen. Stay tuned for Season 2 in 2026! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #12
    Sep 18, 2025 · 58 min

    Episode 12 – The Geologic Time Scale According to Plants

    Scientists organize the history of the Earth based on the experiences of animals. But what if the Geologic Time Scale was plant-centric? This episode, Aly presents Nora with her take on a time scale based on the evolution and extinction of plants through time. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #11
    Sep 4, 2025 · 44 min

    Episode 11 - Flowers of the Night

    Plants require sunlight to survive, but when night falls and the daytime-dwellers disappear, many varieties of flower come alive. This episode, Nora and Aly explore the allure of “moon gardens” and the adaptations that allow beautiful and aromatic flowers to thrive in darkness. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #10
    Aug 21, 2025 · 37 min

    Episode 10 – Plant Super-Organisms

    Some plants get big – like, several acres big – like, an entire forest big – like, the largest living things on the planet big. This episode, Nora and Aly address some of the most sprawling plants on Earth and explore the plant super-powers that allow them to achieve super-size. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #9
    Aug 7, 2025 · 36 min

    Episode 9 - Roots in the Air

    We all learned that roots are the below-ground part of a plant. Well, it turns out there are exceptions … a lot of them. This episode, Nora asks Aly to explain the many and varied reasons why a plant might wave its roots in the air like it just don’t care. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #8
    Jul 24, 2025 · 47 min

    Episode 8 - What Makes Fruit Ripe?

    Did you know that placing a banana next to an apple can help the banana ripen faster? Well that was news to some people! This episode, Nora and Aly discuss what exactly is going on inside a ripening fruit and how the fruit knows it’s time to signal its own deliciousness. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #7
    Jul 10, 2025 · 38 min

    Episode 7 - How do Plants Scream Without a Mouth?

    Plants do not have mouths, but that doesn’t stop them from expressing themselves! This episode, Nora and Aly touch on the topic of plant communication and explore how plants signal distress. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Read Roald Dahl's 'The Sound Machine' https://fleurmach.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/rdahl_screamingtrees.pdf Listen to a distressed plant: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/content/dam/nhm-www/discover/plants-emit-sound-when-stressed/Sound-of-plant-under-stress.mp3 Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

  • #6
    Jun 26, 2025 · 35 min

    Episode 6 - Jurassic Salad

    What if you traveled back in time to the Jurassic Period … and got hungry? Could you make a meal with the plants available at the time? This episode, Nora and Aly do some speculative cooking to see what they might include in a Jurassic Salad. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod Our theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

Showing 1–20 of 23 episodes