Florida's Rarest Tree - Torreya taxifolia & Chigger Infestation

[@dontcarejustwatchvid]

As a Florida-Man I have appreciated your Florida series of videos. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your [and your guests] expertise!

[@fuxan]

Likewise...I'm from Central Florida and really appreciate these recent videos...I didn't spend nearly enough time up in the panhandle. Making up for lots time before it's all gone one day.

[@jul.escobar]

As a Florida woman I too have enjoyed the heck out of this serious. 🎉

[@seanclapper9965]

Now i have even more appreciation for the flora native to the panhandle, especially realizing it used to be coastline. Lake Wales area in Central Fla has quite a few giant sndhills (Bok tower botanical sanctuary sits on a 300" hill). These largest sandhills were tiny islands at one point. Didnt even realize we had so many euphorbias here either. Ive always enjoyed the many springs and rivers here, and north Floriduh has a ton.

[@kamikaze2613]

I pray for you as a species

[@nicholasagnew2792]

You won't catch me Floridaing myself down to Florida any time soon so I'm glad to experience the Florida remotely.

[@CarlosRuiz-en9iy]

I'm having a bad day, but man, these videos bring me up!

[@RUFUSKNAPP]

Saw a great old pacific yew in N central Idaho on main Salmon river schelteted above high water line next to pretty little creek.

[@DavidRexGlenn]

Heard the mention you got from Scott Simon on NPR's Weekend Edition on the snapping turtle/Chicago River video & tweets. For a minute I felt like a hipster having foreknowledge of what the radio host was referring to

[@txbirdman01]

When yall were looking at the witch hazel you joked that people always want to know what a plant does, and Lily said that it provides "ecosystem service's" I thought yall were just making that up on the spot. Then I was reading an article that mentioned an estimated value of "ecosystem services " assigned to pollinators worldwide. I realized this is a real term that science uses to explain value for anything in the ecosystem to people who might not care otherwise.

[@aheinzer]

So nice. Thank you for sacrificing yourself to the ticks and chiggers so we could see all those cool plants. I saw a few that I knew and a lot more that were new to me. Learned a lot.

[@wamlartmuse]

Man.. I absolutely love these Florida videos. Such great diversity. I'm from Oklahoma, we have little diversity of plant life. We're very boring considering botany lol. I try my hardest to grow naturally plants from my local wildlife. I'm trying to understand botany but mycology is much easier for me. It all fits in together anyway. Plants & fungus wouldn't work without each other. & it just moves up from there. Humanity depends on ecology. Without one there is no other. I will forever be in debt to my teachers like CPBBD.. I can mention many other great teachers but I'll leave it at him. Do your own research. 🍄🌳💜

[@riku8342]

How is having (+/-)2500 native plant species in your state boring? Florida has around 3000 natives so it's not even that much more diverse.

[@wamlartmuse]

@riku8342 well that's about 500 more lol. I think Florida & a couple other states have cooler & prettier plants. Oklahoma has mostly flat land & we don't get a whole lot of rain. If you want to enjoy some nice areas in nature you either have to live by it or plan a trip to see it. Not to mention all the red dirt we have that nothing likes to grow in.

[@Cpt_JaK]

You're looking for charismatic Natives aren't you. Look deeper...

[@alexjames879]

As someone who lives in eastern Oklahoma, maybe you should explore more, there’s definitely a ton of fascinating plant diversity around here. The drier western areas also have fascinating plants as well. Watching the transition from arid grassland and shrublands in the west to moist subtropical forest in the southeast can teach you a lot about plant adaptation and ecosystem evolution.

[@wamlartmuse]

@alexjames879 exactly, I definitely agree with you. In order to see the beauty I have to travel. I might as well go out of state lol. I love mountains but the only time I see them is when I'm headed out of state & don't have much time to chill.

[@MBroam]

It's so awesome seeing you talk about the plants I am familiar with and love so much. 💜

[@davidbarts6144]

Three yew species in North America (there is also Taxus canadensis in addition to T. floridana and T. brevifolia).

[@CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt]

Ah that's right! Damn!

[@canadiangemstones7636]

That Lily is an awesome gal to put up with your lunacy, lolol. My kinda people!

[@7th_Heaven]

@Crime Pays but Botany Doesn't, First video watching here. Voluntarily searched up Torreya Taxifolia and decided to watch multiple videos on it. Am here now. Goodness gracious have not heard this much concentrated taxonomy from the two of you since childhood and college botany days. Like bringing back memories... Am following and absorbing it but whew! you guys are leaving a wake that would bring Linnaeus a smile. Video is not even over and you guys got a like and contemplated subscribe. I'd ease up on suggestive references though

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

I love a long episode.

[@martinlehtonen]

You make learning this stuff so fun! Thanks for making these videos. Hope you know we appreciate. You are so enthusiastic, funny and goofy guy. Hope to meet some like you someday to have for myself. For the meantime, I got you bebe. Martin of Finland

[@chuxmix65]

NEVER touch fuzzy caterpillars. Look. But don't touch. I love the lesser known Ilexes. I also love how Lily has been your guide. I'd welcome meeting more of your local experts as you travel!

[@chummymcgee2823]

dont tell me what to do.

[@nicholasagnew2792]

Its a spring for the books we're experiencing. We're having a nice wet spring here in the Northwest. Keep living your life to the fullest my man. Florida it up to the fullest.

[@Chronold-q6v]

incase anyone was thinking of harvesting sassafras trees, instead consider Cinnamomum camphora its quite invasive in a lot of countries and has a liable amount of what your looking for

[@wamlartmuse]

@Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't thank you for mentioning mycology as much as possible. Micro biology is extremely important. Nothing but love and respect for you. You are a part of a great revolution.

[@christopherelizondo318]

I love the ms doubtfire voice when describing soft leaves. Great work 🎉

[@KarlKarsnark]

Huzzah! I'm glad you made it to Torreya. It's such a neat place. Thanks for visiting.

[@corybeanland6506]

I live down in Panama City. Way cool to see you bouncing around the area. Tons of great plants to point at!

[@bodayshus1437]

Good show. There is also Canada yew in North America

[@RobinMarks1313]

You need mud. In my backyard, we had a sulfur spring swamp. The frogs at night would make it so the visiting city folk couldn't sleep and complained. It was white noise to us hicks, we only heard it when we tuned into it. So, I've been dancing with bugs and critters all my life. If you need to stop them from biting you... mud. Find some clay mud and spread it on your lower legs. Heck, some of the minerals will nitrify your skin too. If you get a thick layer, the stupid bugs can't get through. Or, make sure your pants are no entry and put elastics at the bottom of your pants to cinch them tight. I'm sure you know about this approach, but I don't get a view of your legs much. It was nice to see the whole Tony and Al when I saw a promo for Kill Your Lawn. Good to see lawns fading into the past.

[@adamolsen6411]

The Florida video I have been waiting for!

[@bobjacobson858]

Excellent video. I would like to offer two comments: 1. Torreya taxifolia was planted at the Biltmore Estate near Asheville, North Carolina, and it both thrives (getting to be a fairly large tree) and reproduces there. Thus, that is essentially the new home for this species. There are other specimens in various botanical gardens. I recall being told that this species "will never grow again in the Cotton Belt". 2. There is also a third native species of yew found in northeastern and Great Lake areas (Taxus canadensis), and it is a low-growing species (unlike the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia and the European and Asian species often cultivated that become trees). I've seen Taxus canadensis in southern New Hampshire and in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

[@tylernaturalist6437]

I was down in the Corkscrew Swamp outside of Naples Florida last month, and I remember seeing red maple growing deep in the swamps amongst pond apples and other subtropical plants, and being so confused as to how such a northern species could make it in such a different environment. I definitely didn’t expect to see orchids growing on red maples.

[@alexanderkonczal3908]

There are orchids in New England!

[@tylernaturalist6437]

@@alexanderkonczal3908 I was referring to epiphytic orchids growing on Red Maple, not terrestrials.

[@MrGrombie]

Yessssss finally a FL video. I didn't realize you had one out.

[@wildhareonthegulfofmexico3539]

I remember those, on Eglin AFB....thank you for bringing these back to the realm of thought.

[@Dan-DJCc]

Lily is nice. A fun one this.

[@ReallyBakedGamer]

13:19 you got a nice shot of a green arachnid friend, all camouflaged on the leaf nice.

[@SoNoFTheMoSt]

I love seeing magnolia in their natural habitat, so awesome!

[@marumiyuhime]

even as a biologist your my favourite plant guy. cheers i love chicago

[@joshk5686]

When I saw you go for the sniff on that native azalea I LOLed cause I've done the same whenever I see a native deciduous azalea. That cinnamon-ish scent is really fragrant.

[@Dan_Slee]

Joey needs one of those 360 cameras when he has company so we can see their facial reactions for the more memorable commentary lol =))

[@alanthecat59]

i like this , nice when you have a beutiful guest , adds some spice to the dynamic GG

[@RazsterTW]

I'm in love with the Spiranthes sylvatica Orchidacae. Such amazing gemetry.

[@RazsterTW]

Croton & Berlandiera are alien like, so out of this work looking.

[@meanjeanmcqueen6171]

"Splooge and fear"...I love this man, lol.

[@yfrontsguy]

I have one small tree of that Torreya taxifolia here. I should plant more! Stunning to see such magnolia divesity in the States too. Love that Asimina angustifolia. looking so totally different to A.triloba & closer to tropical annonaceae.

[@zanewalsh1812]

Beautiful images, playful and engaging banter, quick paced... I just wish I had 45+ minutes to be entertained 😂😂

[@i-love-comountains3850]

I love watching these videos when I'm tripping alone, always a good vibe when everyone's gone home and it's down to just me and Lucy😂

[@i-love-comountains3850]

25:08 i can personally attest that it's a whole vibe lol

[@myrmepropagandist]

could you do an episode about all kinds of gall please??

[@micah_lee]

It’s so funny seeing some of these really common southern plants on here. I love it. We get a lot of these species very commonly up in NC.

[@Cpt_JaK]

Takes me back to my college days in Pensacola. Nothing like learning about fire ecology while gaining wildlands firefighting training at Eglin afb.

[@henryhawke]

Have you been to Panthertown, NC? Has some excellent and rare biomes. So many rare plants.

[@conorgraves]

North Carolina has a ton of very interesting specimens, very unique state because of its size giving a range of geology, altitudes, and climates.

[@johnquinn456]

Well done You guys rock

[@powerlinebotany]

Magnolia ashei is cold tolerant at least up into zone 6. Put one in your (former) lawn!

[@katiekane5247]

Stunning tree for a damp spot.

[@fuxan]

I wonder if Mail Order Natives who are not top far from this area of Florida grow them.q

[@myrmepropagandist]

That orchid is incredible!

[@alimillson8081]

37:50 Yes, Taxus brevifolia's range does extend into BC, Canada! I believe numbers are still recovering from when the species was committedly harvested for the production of taxol (anticancer/chemotherapy compound), but we see it around. Thanks for your engaging content and knowledge!

[@nllg1273]

Love sandy bottom streams...

[@chuxmix65]

I do like a Yew. Nice!

[@seanclapper9965]

Ive come to the inevitable realization that im in love with Lily. As a resident of central Fla and a plant and conservation enthusiast its very reassuring that beautiful souls like hers walk the same earth so very nearby! Keep up the good work, and keep being YOU

[@gator83261]

Great video.

[@seanturner7]

Your feelings towards Crepe Myrtle is what I have for Japanese Knotweed.

[@iplop]

Sparkleberries taste great!

[@ryeblocker2297]

I saw da Blaze!! Yall are on da Florida Scenic Trail. Nice!!!

[@rylandvincent6787]

About choked on air when you accidentally sent the napping beetles flying. Lmfao 😂 Please keep up the great lessons! ❤

[@leannaerickson9745]

Another great lesson in Florida botany, thank you and Lilly too. I live on the Central Coast of California, about half a mile out of the natural range of Aesculus californica. Twenty-six years ago, when I moved out of Monterey County, I smuggled my potted Aesculus californica to my current home and replanted it in my back yard. Right now it's in bloom, and it smells heavenly (and so close to native).

[@daveatlw]

❤ florida videos.

[@Immortalthrone666]

13:49 Acer rubrum might be the most common tree in coastal southern Maine. If it’s not, it’s probably only beaten by Pinus strobus and Quercus rubra

[@sagetmaster4]

Red Maples are pretty remarkable, can grow a huge tree in basically just water

[@georgebootsweber]

V. arboreum is such an underappreciated tree. Gnarly mature ones look like abstract sculptures in winter

[@edreasner44]

Love that song, come to New Mexico we'll put you in the studio.

[@brightmooninthenight2111]

Ive been watching these Florida videos because I live in South Georgia by a giant swamp called the okefenokee, largest blackwater swamp in America. I was very sad to learn about laurel wilt. I love the Bays around here, I started using them for cooking as well. I've noticed around where I live in the drier pine woods there is so much rust and fungus on the vegetation it looks sickly. But it's so cool someone is showing some love to the flora around here. And a fun fact about the cnidoscolus stimulosus is it has edible tubers that taste like potato, but I've only harvested it once because they aret abundant enough to warrant it

[@briantomcollins]

Thecoloron that liatris... those flowers look like somebody messed with the contrast. Amazing...

[@eazypeazy33]

I love looking at maps and imagining the ancient coastline.. it’d be a different world.. time is coming again soon. Time for my kind to head up north.. and that rare Magnolia is a money shot 😂

[@lightreign8021]

Enjoy your open prairie areas, (laughs at you in ancient conifer forest). To each their own 😁. What we lack in biodiversity we make up in biomass.

[@Parker307]

So many genus and species names (and plant terms but I get some of those) just flowing over me and away. How does one remember these?

[@anndriggers6660]

That Smilax (green briar) is edible, and it's absolutely delicious cooked or in a salad if you pick the very young leaves and stems. You could literally make a nice big salad out of the greens that grow in your yard! Do yourself a favor and check it out.

[@frankmacleod2565]

awesome

[@user255]

Great as usual! So many species... I live in Finland, not even near to that plant diversity.

[@tonybezanson9625]

3 yews, Canada yew, (T. canadensis, which grows in Eastern North America, New England up into Canada.

[@mechaslugzilla]

Yeah, I was about to post "what about Taxus canadensis?"

[@ianplute7033]

Welcome to the panhandle, should have stopped in Jefferson Countey. South portion of the county is extreamly rural and very diverse. Mixed hardwood highlands, next to the blackwater disappearing rivers. I bet you can't find all 5 pawpaws in the area.

[@laserflexr6321]

Another very interesting episode. But one question, I was unable to find it so is there a common name for the plant Dogpuke Louii?

[@StillRunningWithPointedSticks]

Yesterday I noticed leaf chew on my kumquat. Then I saw bird shit on a leaf. It moved. I trimmed off the small branch and placed it in a jar. That bird shit cat ate 5 leaves. Apparently will pupate into a swallowtail moth or butterfly. I’m calling it “Chewy”.

[@fuxan]

A non-native loquat? And the cat was eating it? I'm a native plant purist so I'm kinda surprised a non-native actual interacts much.

[@StillRunningWithPointedSticks]

@@fuxan …I’m in Phoenix. Plenty of citrus here. Sour orange is grown as a landscape plant everywhere. And Mexican Lime. And Citron.

[@XDarkxSteel]

Idk the way you're talking about those soft leaf undersides kinda doing something for me ngl

[@ceg937]

I have over 100 liatris gholsonii seeds ready to seed in my native milkweed garden!🥳

[@kevinhendricksen1277]

There's Taxus canadensis in the Great Lakes states as well. Super rare now because of all the stupid deer. Nice to hear there is one in Florida.

[@joncapes4118]

Hey Joey when are you coming to check out natives in north Georgia/Alabama

[@CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt]

Hopefully October or late summer

[@sagetmaster4]

Porose is a new botanical adjective for me. Not trying to brag, but I've got like half the names for "hairy" memorized

[@toejamr1]

I thought you typically used the root bark of the sassafras to get the oil? I can’t tell you how many times I went looking in the woods for these in hopes of making my own disco biscuits but it wasn’t meant to be.

[@metalicminer6231]

My phone died watching this great botany fella.

[@TSorovanMHael]

28:35 "That's why you gotta burn, get rid of da ticks. Who doesn't like burning? Fuck you, Smoky the Bear." Staahp it I'm dying🤣

[@5hape5hift3r]

those beetles look like they are mimicing bees.

[@MrSrgdrum]

You forgot your chigger repellant agin? Krylon Gold administered via paper bag lol. Keep up the great work Tone.

[@D_S_88]

lol, funny one.

[@Jay22222]

I hate to ask someone explain a joke, buttt I don’t get it. Unless you were insinuating poisoning them from right at the source, by huffing paint?

[@MrSrgdrum]

@@Jay22222 That is the "joke" indeed

[@JazzViolinListeningLounge]

I'm not worried about insects, my jewelry is a natural repellant hahahahahahaha

[@gandalfandferg280]

I have gotten the WASITDO questions. I was telling this quack about a rare native mistletoe we where passing and he's like "what's it do for us, what can i use it for? Oh its a parasite? Should i pull it off and save the plant?" Holy cow.

[@malcolmmacqueen2340]

even in Scotland we appreciate the banter mixed with lessons in Latin, lots of blaeberry here. All the Yew trees are in the old graveyards too

[@TSorovanMHael]

Despite being revered in pre-christian times, Taxus brevifolia came close to going extinct. They were the preferred wood for longbows and spears. The hard, strong wood was also used for pegs, furniture, and tool handles. Much like hornbeam. But they germinate poorly and grow particularly slowly. Takes centuries to reach useful size for timber. Hence the few old growth specimens tend to be in church graveyards where you'd have to be insane to try to poach them. Even in modern times, the Pacific yew is under threat due to it's content of Taxanes like Paclitaxel which are valuable chemotherapy drugs. Total synthesis of them is impractical. The interesting aspect of this is that the trees accumulate and concentrate Taxanes in their tissues which is probably actually produced by a symbiotic fungus on their roots. So finding a way to cultivate such fungi would be extremely valuable.

[@JohnLehman-d1z]

Can someone explain to me why sassafras has three leaf shapes? Is this a unique morphological trait for trees?

[@cadabuz3198]

I love the money shots!!

[@jacobjerny7502]

Speaking of Torreya and Taxus, do you support introducing them further north in order to expand their range? Like in northern gardens in the southeastern piedmont. Also, do you support potentially modifying the genetics of T. taxifolia in order to give it resistance against the fungus?

[@lillyanderson-messec6042]

No, like I mentioned in the video, the scientific community working with this species does not support assisted migration - specifically because the introduced fungal pathogen, Fusarium torreyae, has been proven to infect and kill other species, including Tsuga (Hemlock), various pines, and even hardwoods. So planting it further north - or anywhere outside of its range could have devastating consequences for other genera. It’s also so well represented in ex-situ collections that it can easily be reestablished if/when we are able to treat the fungus. The group “Torreya Guardians” have spread a lot of unfounded hypotheses that Torreya don’t suffer from the fungus further north, but that’s not at all true. The Atlanta Botanical Garden and University of Florida Forest Pathology, along with my organization, Torreya Keepers, are the best resources for reliable information.

[@jacobjerny7502]

@@lillyanderson-messec6042 I see and I heard. Does apply to T. floridana as well? Or is this specific to Torreya taxifolia?

[@raphlvlogs271]

are all Viburnums shrubs or are there any of them that can grow in to tree size?

[@64Pete]

Hey brother I'm going to bed, but I'll be sure to check out your chigger bites in the A.M. Have a ripper day mate. ✌🇦🇺

[@64Pete]

If I'd known the lovely Lilly was teaching, I'd have stayed up and crammed. Glad you intercepted the scrotum tick brother! GFY ✌🇦🇺

[@SpiritedHumaneering]

Thanks for this video! Torreya at 38:00 :)

[@jul.escobar]

Just came across my first one in Florida. Adding it to Inaturalist 🙌

[@c.rogers4394]

There is also another rare one, Taxus floridiana I believe, love those Yews, looked it up, floridana, kinda odd, like somebody left an 'I' out, and it happens, especially in maps, the name gets spelled wrong and it sticks, because nobody knows any better.

[@kylewarfel9270]

Come to Pennsylvania. We got a lot of weird invasives.

[@Toddis]

It's cool knowing the Latin names because I can infer that Pinus edulis is an edible plant, because edulis means edible

[@jobofa4252]

Is this rarer than ziziphus celata or taxus floridana?

[@dawniebee946]

Top 👍🏆

[@benwinkel]

What caused the iron deposits?

[@myrmepropagandist]

I think those ants were Camponotus discolor or maybe Camponotus discepens? I have a colony of those ants, been wanting to give them some livestock, this is giving me ideas for their new terrium.

[@krystal6137]

No wonder my dog eats the leaves on the sassafras tree in my yard 🤣 she loves them and will climb to get to the leaves if she can’t find any young sprouts from the root system.

[@christinearmington]

You sir are more than slightly altered 😂 The ball pit at Chucky Cheese! 😂😂😂😂😂 I’m guessing that was Hurricane Michael damage. 🌀 I hope you didn’t really get chiggers. Our dad used to dust us in sulphur powder. Ankles, waist, etc. 😮 I really hate ‘em. 🤬🤬🤬😎