This versus episode kicks off with a discussion about creating a safe space on social media for respectful, loving communication about everything plants and gardens, then digresses into a discussion of Latin pronunciations in botanical, liturgical, and classical settings. When we make it to the Plant Face-Off, Erin leads with peace lily, or Spathiphyllum spp. She explains why some plants in the Spathiphyllum genus have Big Spadix Energy, then explores the fascinating physical mechanism that makes biting a peace lily a bad idea. She explains how to approximate the conditions of its home in the understory of tropical rainforests and how to treat problems, then digs into why she and others are so darned allergic to its pollen. Finally, Erin and Sean dissect the infamous NASA Clean Air Study that still prompts publications to insist that peace lilies can purify your air of household toxins.

In the second half of the episode, Sean confidently takes the stage to predict a win for his favourite plants, Phalaenopsis orchids, also known as moon orchids or moth orchids (for their moth-like flowers). He explains how they grow hanging in the air, attached to trees or stones, and describes the various options for propagating them. Next he covers such controversial topics as what media to grow orchids in, how to water them, and where to position them for the best kind of light. As someone who has rehabilitated many a box-store orchid, he is well equipped with advice on helping them re-bloom and thrive. Sean closes his segment with some history and surprising medical uses for Phalaenopsis.

Who won the Plant Face-Off? Was it Erin with peace lilies or Sean with Phalaenopsis orchids? You decide! Send your vote by email or on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook with the hashtag #PAWFaceOff.

Instagram: @plantsalwayswinpodcast 

Facebook: plantsalwayswinpodcast 

TikTok: @plantsalwayswinpodcast 

Website: www.plantsalwayswin.com 

Shout-Outs: 

Southern Ontario Orchid Society: https://soos.ca/

Central Ontario Orchid Society: http://coos.ca/ 

Knotmoth Micro Crochet: https://www.instagram.com/knotmoth/ 

Credits

Website Design and Illustration by Sophia Alladin

Intro and Outro Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/when-my-ukulele-plays

License code: GWOIMMBAS15FG6PH

Citations

Phalaenopsis Culture Sheet

Phalaenopsis Culture Sheet - American Orchid Society. (n.d.). https://www.aos.org/orchid-care/care-sheets/phalaenopsis-culture-sheet 

The Phalaenopsis group on Missouri Botanical Garden’s Plant Finder

Phalaenopsis (group). (n.d.). Missouri Botanical Garden. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=264608&isprofile=1&basic=phalaenopsis 

An updated version of a 1956 article in the American Orchid Society Bulletin 

Phalaenopsis, the Genus - Beginner’s Handbook, XXIII. (n.d.). American Orchid Society. Retrieved January 21, 2025, from https://www.aos.org/orchid-care/orchid-care-and-culture-sheets/phalaenopsis-culture-sheet/phalaenopsis-the-genus 

Research into medical uses for commercial orchid waste  

Minh, T., Khang, D., Tuyen, P., Minh, L., Anh, L., Quan, N., Ha, P., Quan, N., Toan, N., Elzaawely, A., & Xuan, T. (2016). Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of phalaenopsis orchid hybrids. Antioxidants, 5(3), 31. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox5030031 

The history of orchids

Hill, E. (2021, March 26). The history of orchids. Love Orchids. https://www.loveorchids.co.uk/blogs/home/four-things-about-the-history-of-orchids-you-might-not-know?srsltid=AfmBOooOu7XYkq-RGQmlx8YUl1JBoj50X_3xPH1wgEjo3CmOf20X1hMR 

Peace lilies’ relatives: plants in the Araceae family

Grant, B. L. (2021, August 11). Arum plant information: Learn about common varieties of arum. Gardening Know How. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/arum-plant-information.htm

Information about spathes and spadixes

Ellis, M. E. (2021, November 29). What is a spathe: Learn about the spathe and spadix in plants. Gardening Know How. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/what-is-a-spathe.htm 

Spathiphyllum overview, including pests and diseases

Spathiphyllum (Peace lily, Spathe flower, White sails) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2025, from https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/spathiphyllum/#poison 

Treating pests and diseases of Spathiphyllum 

Spengler, T. (2021, May 29). Diseases in spathiphyllum: Tips on treating peace lily diseases. Gardening Know How. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/peace-lily/diseases-spathiphyllum-tips-treating-peace-lily-diseases.htm 

How calcium oxalate crystals in peace lily leaves cause reactions 

Wismer, T. (2015). Feline toxins. August’s Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine, 7, 791–798. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-22652-3.00079-7 

Spathiphyllum as an unusually bad trigger for allergies among houseplants

egás, V. H., Duch, G. D., García, V. G., De La Losa, F. P., Fernández, M. C., Velandia, D. G., & Jané, P. G. (2019). Allergy to Spathiphyllum wallisii, an Indoor Allergen. Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology, 29(6), 453–454. https://doi.org/10.18176/jiaci.0419 

Debunking popular NASA Clean Air Study interpretations

Editorial Staff. (2017, February 15). Getting into the Weeds: Do Houseplants Really Improve Air Quality? American Lung Association. https://www.lung.org/blog/do-houseplants-really-improve-air-quality#:~:text=This%20NASA%20study%20showed%20that,long%20history%20of%20health%20impacts 

NASA’s own account of the Clean Air study

Plants clean air and water for indoor environments. (2007). NASA Spinoff. https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2007/ps_3.html 

A deeper dive into the study and how houseplants really benefit your home

Russel, E. M. (2020, September 7). Debunked: Despite NASA clean air study claims, houseplants don’t effectively purify air. Clean Air Gardening. https://www.cleanairgardening.com/do-houseplants-clean-air/ 

Timestamps

00:57 Intro

01:13 What’s Growing On?

01:15 Opening our Discord to the Gardening World

2:45 Booking Some Public Gigs

04:20 The Plant Face-Off

04:43 Face-Off Results for Milkweed vs. Beardtongue

05:30 Pronouncing Latin: A Context Sport

07:05 Erin’s Plant: Peace Lily

07:22The Arum Family (Araceae)

08:20 Spathes and Spadixes

09:02 Corpse Flower Amorphophallus titanum: Big Spadix Energy

11:05 Peace Lily’s Not-so-Peaceful Toxic Reaction

14:09 Caring for your Peace Lily

19:52 Peace Lily Allergies

21:55 The Infamous NASA Clean Air Study

31:55 Sean’s Plant: Phalaenopsis Orchid

33:13 Orchid Taxonomy (and What’s Taxonomy, Anyway?)

33:06 Orchid Origins

36:33 Epiphytes on Trees and Lithophytes on Rocks

37:22 Three Ways to Propagate an Orchid

40:22 What to Grow your Orchid In

42:59 How to Have a Happy Orchid

48:50 Orchid Pests, Pestilence, and Stress

50:00 History Time, Featuring Orchid Delirium

53:30 Orchids in Medical Research

55:09 Shout-Outs

55:13 Ontario Orchid Societies

55:37 Knotmoth Micro Crochet

57:17 Contact Us and Outro