Why are we so afraid of the silver maple (Acer saccharinum)? Perhaps because of the risk involved. In today’s episode of Inside Sprout, we discuss tree risk assessment as we ask ourselves the question: if a tree falls, and no one is around to see it, is there any risk?

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

Music by Aves and The Mini-Vandals

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Welcome to Inside Sprout, a 5 part mini-series on trees that best embody and illicit our most basic human emotions. Today we start with disgust and the black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). This tree is almost universally despised for its invasiveness, but has found a very important and loving niche for itself in the woodworking community.

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

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Take me out to the ball game… the one where they bounce a solid rubber (Castilla elastica) ball between their hips. Today we take it way back for a discussion about rubber (the tree) and rubber (the substance) and an ancient ballgame that’s still played today.

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

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The lightest wood there is, the balsa (Ochroma pyramidale) is one excited little kid. It grows fast, has ice cream cone flowers, and you can even carry it around on your shoulders! But what gives this tree the ability to grow in such a famous way?

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

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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In the second part of our eco-feminism series, we discuss the Chipko movement, a practical manifestation of eco-feminist ideologies out of India. Author/activist Vandana Shiva makes an appearance, as does the Banj oak (Quercus leucotrichophora). Then, we play a medieval edition of the Slang Game.

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

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What makes a tree innately "feminine"? We can't explain it, but we can roughly explain eco-feminism, and how it affects our opinions of, and behaviors toward, Mother Nature and the sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis).

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Oh, what fun is the jaboticaba (Plinia cauliflora) with it’s curiously growing fruit. Learn about this tree before diving headlong into a discussion about temperate vs. tropical fruit! Who be will victorious? Then, we have not one but TWO taste tests!

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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The tree that walks! (not really) The walking palm (Socratea exorrhiza) is beloved by Tik-Tok clickbait content creators for its astounding ability to “walk”. But is its fame a double-edged sword?

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

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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ʻŌhiʻa Lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) is Hawaii's most populous tree, and perhaps its most adaptable! For a tree that grows on literal lava flows, this tree has no shortage of interesting qualities that make it one of the most fascinating trees we've ever discussed!

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Happy 2025! Let’s start with a tree so out of time and place that it’s suffering the most endangered situation of any conifer in the world. Then, we play a game that teaches you how to avoid non-tree conversations. Welcome to Season 8.

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Today we whittle spoons alongside woodworking gem Justin Davies, and hear about Justin's dos-and-dont's while carving, how he got into the hobby, and where it's taking him next!

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

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Cover art by Jillian Barthold

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