Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 7: Plants We Always Kill

June 8, 2017

Although we love them, these beauties don’t love us back

Have you ever fallen in love with a plant so deeply, you’ve purchased–then killed it–several times? If the answer is yes, we can relate. This episode features plants that hosts Steve Aitken and Danielle Sherry just can’t seem to ever keep alive. Richard Hawke, plant evaluations manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden joins in the fun and shares his plant failures, too. Because, doesn’t it make you feel better when the experts admit to killing things, just like the rest of us?  

Expert: Richard Hawke, plant evaluation manager for the Chicago Botanic Garden.

(Bergenia spp. and cvs.) is often called pig squeak which would make you think it’s thick and hearty like a slab of bacon—but not for Steve, who likes to kill bergenia on a regular basis.

It thrived on neglect in the Fine Gardening test garden, but at Danielle’s house Bowles' golden sedge (Carex elata 'Aurea') bit the dust. Maybe it’s because she cares too much?  

Sun king aralia (Aralia cordata 'Sun King'). Steve can’t grow it but Danielle can, proving that perhaps she’s not as bad of a gardener as Steve claims.

The expert guest on this episode, Richard Hawke of the Chicago Botanic Garden, has killed many, many, many peach-leaved bellflower (Campanula persicifolia) . Exactly how many? Listen to find out. 

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