Branch Out – Details, episodes & analysis

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Branch Out

Botanic Gardens of Sydney

Science

Education

Frequency: 1 episode/52d. Total Eps: 59

From catching killers to making medicine - discover the surprising world of plants with your host, Vanessa Fuchs, as you hear from passionate experts from around the world protecting flora and our future.

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Data updated on 29/08/2026

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrylcCAEIT8&ab_channel=BotanicGardensofSydney
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Score global : 68%

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Wondering where we've been? We wrote a new book: What the Flora?

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 01:12

Wondering where we've been? We wrote a a new book! Get ready for a wild ride through the most shocking, inspiring and downright unbelievable stories about plant life in our new non-fiction book: ⁠What the Flora?⁠ Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom. You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case. Whether you're a hardcore plant nerd or just curious, What the Flora? will forever transform the way you see plants. Where to order your copy: The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠here. If you pre-order a copy before 1 September and you live in Australia, you can also ⁠go into a draw⁠ to win an amazing experience at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on Audible and other audiobook platforms. What the Flora? is written by Vanessa Fuchs for Botanic Gardens of Sydney and published by Pantera Press, an imprint of Hardie Grant Publishing.

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Bonus episode: The Corpse Flower - a plant to die for

Season 10 · Episode 6

Friday, January 17, 2025 • Duration 18:27

In this bonus episode of Branch Out, host Bec Davis chats to Jarryd Kelly, Curator Manager of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, about the highly-anticipated bloom of the Corpse Flower. Jarryd takes us behind the scenes as this exotic plant, which only flowers for 24 hours and creates an infamously pungent odour, has been years in the making. Watch the livestream on YouTube so you can see the Corpse Flower bloom in real time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrylcCAEIT8&ab_channel=BotanicGardensofSydney Order our book: What the Flora? Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom. You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case. The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

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From killers to healers: the powers of fungi

Season 10 · Episode 5

Wednesday, December 18, 2024 • Duration 23:09

Australia has seen deadly cases of mushroom poisonings this past year, with some making world headlines. In this episode of Branch Out, Hannah Izzard chats to Professor Brett Summerall, Chief Scientist from Botanic Gardens of Sydney, on the fascinating powers of the fungi kingdom. Order our book: What the Flora? Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom. You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case. The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

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How scientists are using AI to hunt down plastic

Season 10 · Episode 4

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 • Duration 22:59

In this episode of Branch Out, we investigate the massive issue of plastic waste in our environment. You’ll hear from scientist Dr Denise Hardesty and business owner Mitchell Taylor on new technologies like machine learning and engineering products transforming the way we use and think about plastic waste. Order our book: What the Flora? Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom. You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case. The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

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Taxonomy - the benefits of naming nature

Season 10 · Episode 3

Wednesday, September 11, 2024 • Duration 33:33

Roughly 70% of all Australian species of plants, animals, fungi and other organisms have yet to be discovered, named and classified. In this episode of Branch Out we’re featuring an episode from The Business of Biodiversity podcast: Taxonomy – the benefits of naming nature. You’ll learn about the fascinating and important field of taxonomy and how it's potentially worth billions of dollars to the Australian economy. The Business of Biodiversity Podcast is produced by the Grow Love Project and Saving our Species program at the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water.

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Stealing rare and exotic plants

Season 10 · Episode 2

Wednesday, August 7, 2024 • Duration 13:31

Attention true crime junkies, you’re about to learn about one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in the botanical world… as we continue to uncover the global phenomenon of stealing rare and exotic plants. In this episode you'll hear from Richard Barley, Director of Gardens at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London, about the eerie disappearance of the African water lily - one of Earth’s rarest plants stolen from the biggest botanic garden in the world. You'll also hear from John Siemon, Director of Horticulture and Living collections at Botanic Gardens of Sydney, about why plant theft is a massive problem plaguing Botanic Gardens. John recalls some of the desperate measures avid plant collectors have resorted to over the years and explains why these green-fingered thieves are threatening the survival of many endangered species. Order our book: What the Flora? Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom. You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case. The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

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Exposing the illegal plant trade

Season 10 · Episode 1

Friday, June 21, 2024 • Duration 14:17

From a series of heists in Mexico, to law enforcement agents infiltrating a smuggling ring in South Korea... Get ready to explore the explosive illegal trade of succulents and cacti and learn why scientists are scrambling to discover new and rare species before poachers find them. In this episode you'll hear from Jared Margulies, an assistant professor of political ecology at the University of Alabama and the author of The Cactus Hunters. Jared ventured across seven countries and four continents to uncover a complex world where conservation and criminology crossover, discovering that sometimes, the smuggler and the conservationist are the same person. Order our book: What the Flora? Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom. You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case. The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

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Branch Out trailer

Thursday, April 11, 2024 • Duration 00:30

Curating plant-love at The Calyx

Season 9 · Episode 4

Friday, December 9, 2022 • Duration 12:57

Go behind the scenes with Senior Horticulturist Terra-Nova Sadowski at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney to discover what it takes to curate and care for the incredible display of over 20,000 plants inside The Calyx. The latest immersive horticulture display is called Love Your Nature. It celebrates and showcases the colourful, diverse, and fascinating world of plant reproduction and diversity. You'll learn about prehistoric plants that use clones, spores, and seeds to reproduce, and flowering plants that employ colours, shapes, and scents to attract animals. The Calyx is open daily from 10am to 4pm. Order our book: What the Flora? Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom. You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case. The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

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Fast Flora Facts: Machete-wielding plant

Season 9 · Episode 3

Friday, October 21, 2022 • Duration 06:47

Discover how the creator of the machete-wielding philodendron turned this harmless houseplant into armed greenery in this 'fast flora facts' edition of Branch Out. Order our book: What the Flora? Blending science, true crime and history, What the Flora? offers a fresh perspective on the ingenuity and wonders of the plant kingdom. You’ll encounter trees that survived atomic blasts and deadly species that have shaped medicine and myth, discover the mind-bending secrets of plant intelligence and learn how pollen can be used to crack a murder case. The print copy is available to order from book retailers across Australia. Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you live overseas, you can enjoy What the Flora? on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audible⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other audiobook platforms.

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Branch Out – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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Branch Out – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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