E07: Is Tissue Culture Ruining the Hobby? Plus The 10/10 Weird Ghost Plant, Holiday Cacti, And More!

In Episode 07, Tanya is pre-recording before traveling back to Czechia and braving the frozen north (Reykjavik), and Jos is embracing his inner Grinch. We dive deep into the science, myths, and market impact of Tissue Culture—is it saving the hobby or ruining it? Plus, we rate a plant that literally looks like... well, lips.

In this episode:

Spilling the Tea (News):

• Holiday Cactus Confusion: Do you have a Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter Cactus? Jos explains the difference (and blames capitalism).
• 2025 Trend Watch: An article claims Hoya and Rare Cacti are the "new" IT plants. We react (and spot the "mealybug" in the room).
• Book Club: Tanya recommends "The Plant Book" by Tammy Huynh—a perfect last-minute gift for the plant nerd in your life.

Feature: The Truth About Tissue Culture (TC):

The Science: How we clone plants from a single piece of tissue (and why "shoots before roots" matters).

The Market Impact: From the $1,000 Monstera obliqua Peru crash to mass-market availability.

The Stigma: Are TC plants weaker? Does it kill the excitement of collecting? Tanya and Jos debate the "authenticity" of lab-grown vs. seed-grown.

Genetic Anomalies: Why mutations like the Monstera 'Thai Constellation' are actually TC's "happy accidents."

Rate That Weird Plant:

• Selenicereus anthonyanus: The dragon fruit plant that actually looks like a "Fishbone" Cactus relative.
• Palicourea elata: The infamous "Hooker's Lips" (or Labios de Puta)—nature is getting provocative.
• Monotropa humile: The ghostly white "Corpse Plant" that gets a perfect 10/10 weirdness score.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Book: "The Plant Book" by Tammy Huynh
• Video: Kaylee Ellen: "What Really Happened to Rare Plants"
• Plant Provenance: https://plantprovenance.com

Connect with us:

• Email: [e-mail]
• Website: https://hortikult.com
• Facebook Group: Spill The Plant Tea