-Life as a Horticulturalist | Plant Messiah-
Our world is complex. You can take this general statement anyway you like.
Perhaps humanistic social intricacies of life and living come to mind for you.
Maybe it’s the entanglement of biological processes and environments.
Or maybe it’s the convoluted nature of what our world holds for us moving forward when trying to wrap our minds around all of these issues and of course many more.
Well, I would like to attempt to pull all of these pie in the sky thoughts and observations back down to earth by way of looking a topic that quite frankly encapsulates all of these notions of how intricately tangled our universe is.
What I am referring to is plant biodiversity.
By now, many of us know the criticality of having diversity of life within nature, but not enough of us know how to actually preserve it.
Part of the answer surely lies in understanding the plants themselves, the challenges they face from all angles and then plotting a course forward.
Again, notions of extreme complexity come to mind in trying to figure all of this out!
Well, fortunately for us, we have one of the world’s foremost experts and leaders on the show to speak to us about this world of plant life, what he has discovered and what we can do to keep it as vibrant and healthy as possible moving forward.
Introducing
Carlos Magdalena is a Science & Horticulture Researcher in the Tropical Nursery at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the United Kingdom.
Carlos is also a world renown waterlily expert, having prevented the extinction of the world’s smallest waterlilly (N. themarum) as well as discovering the world’s largest, Victoria Boliviana in 2020.
The Plant Messiah
Clearly, Carlos is not your average botanical horticulturist or academic.
Outside of what I just mentioned, his 2018 book release, The Plant Messiah – Adventures in Search of the World’s Rarest Species – solidifies this point.
A work which the Economist dubbed as impressive, gripping and important.
In essence, it’s an account of one man’s drive to save incredible species of plants from destruction, thieving and in some cases extinction.
Mission Driven Work
Carlos is renowned for his passion, unique skills as a plant propagator and devotion to saving the world’s rarest plants.
His mission as a driven horticulturalist has taken him to the most remote and dangerous parts of the world – from the mountains of Peru to isolated Indian Ocean islands to the deepest Australian outback – in search of the rarest exotic species.
Back in the Tropical Nursery at Kew, he uses pioneering, left-field techniques to help them grow and ultimately rescue them from being lost forever.
Reasons to Listen
This is a meaningful look into a professional world that is unknown to most. It provides a look at a unique career path and life lived.
This will be a talk worth listening to for:
- those looking for deep insights about a career and life so utterly different than most
- those interested in hearing about a life and career carved out around preserving biodiversity
- those looking to get an idea for what true passion looks and sounds like in the real world
Listeners will come away with insights on:
- the practical aspects of being a horticulturalist as far as specific roles and responsibilities
- Carlos’ fascinating backstory which lead to him becoming a horticulturalist at the world renowned Kew Gardens in the UK
- an inspirational story of how be basically saved an plant from extinction
- insights on how the world of science and discovery can paradoxically be very close minded and averse to innovation
- how Carlos opened up his career up to new possibilities
- the state of environment, technology, and how these elements affect his work
- climate change and how our fight against it may actually challenge our abilities to to preserve plants species moving forward
- other threats plants face (exotic plant collectors) how dangerous of a world that can be
- what it feels like to balance your passion against the life endangering risk the profession can put you in at times when in the field
- as a horticulturalist, what it’s like to discover a new plant species
- Much more!
A Memorable Quote from the Episode:
On his early beginnings of announcing himself to the School of Agriculture within the UK.
“You don’t know this but this place needs me and I am totally sure that I need this place.”
-Carlos Magdalena
Discover More
For those interested in learning more about Carlos, you can find him on the following platforms:
Also do not forget to check out his book. The Plant Messiah: Adventures in Search of the World’s Rarest Species
Keep Listening!
I hope you enjoyed the episode. For more, check out additional episodes here!
