NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS (KOA)
Thick, thorough, and quite enjoyable, today's episode is all about the koa (Acacia koa) and its endemism on the 5 million year-old islands of Hawai'i. This special tree is unique in so many ways, we lost count: fake leaves, exploding bark, instrument wood... this tree's got it all. We also chat about Hawai'i, and the incredible odds of life landing, rooting, and thriving on these islands. After our discussion, we revisit some "night tree" questions from Alex's appearance on the songwriting podcast Honest Jams.
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
Episode cover photo by David Eikhoff
Additional Reading:
The Koa (Acacia koa)
Alex on Honest Jams Podcast
The Champion Koa in Hawai'i
Koa and Agroforestry
Hawai'ian Heritage Plants by Angela Kay Kepler
Rhizobia
Trees of Hawai'i's Volcanoes National Park
Relatedness defies biogeography: the tale of two island endemics (Acacia heterophylla and A. koa)
Archaeondronology (Andean Alder) episode
The Song of the Dodo by David Quammen