Plant Cuttings
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plantcuttings.bsky.social
Plant Cuttings
@plantcuttings.bsky.social
500 followers 470 following 140 posts
A Botanist who blogs at https://plantcuttings.uk/ about plants (and people) aiming to increase the public's botanical literacy, and reduce plant blindness.
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plantcuttings.bsky.social
A rather different blog post this week: An opportunity for readers to engage in a little botanical sleuthery. I’m trying to track down a paper with data re % of photosynthate secreted from roots.
Intrigued? Baffled?
More at plantcuttings.uk/2025/11/21/a...
Cheers!

#Botany
#PlantScience
A botanical conundrum: HELP, please!
The post discusses the substantial – but source-substantiated – amount of energy plants use secreting root mucilage, estimated at 10-40% of their photosynthesized carbon. Mr P Cuttings …
plantcuttings.uk
November 22, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Reposted by Plant Cuttings
pandersera.bsky.social
parents freed a hummingbird from a skylight with a coleus flower attached to a pole
November 9, 2025 at 12:05 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
A look at three botanically-relevant Japanese words today.
Who needs Duolingo when you have botanolingo?
Intrigued?
More at plantcuttings.uk/2025/11/14/t...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
There’s a Japanese word for that…
The post discusses the connections between the Japanese language and botany. In particular, it highlights the relevance of origami and kirigami to modern-day engineering applications, and of shinri…
plantcuttings.uk
November 15, 2025 at 10:09 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
A review of an important book for you today.
It’s about plant domestication and the ‘invention’ of agriculture.
More at plantcuttings.uk/2025/11/07/t...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
The domestication of people by plants…
Robert N. Spengler III’s “Nature’s greatest success” challenges the traditional view of agriculture’s origins, arguing that domestication was not a conscious act by humans b…
plantcuttings.uk
November 8, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Reposted by Plant Cuttings
bucbotany.bsky.social
🌱🌾🌍🌺🍄🌳🐝 Latest newsletter about Botanical University Challenge is now available on our website. Book reviews, information about #BUC2026, memories of this summer's competition and festival ...
botanicaluniversitychallenge.co.uk/the-thymes/
Masthead The Thymes, images from issue 13. See all at url below https://botanicaluniversitychallenge.co.uk/the-thymes/
November 1, 2025 at 9:15 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
Dear Ros,
That is nice to know - thanking you for telling me. 😀
Stay safe,
Nigel
rgleadow.bsky.social Prof Ros Gleadow FAA @rgleadow.bsky.social · 24d
Thank you. I enjoy reading it over breakfast on Saturday mornings
November 1, 2025 at 9:21 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
We haven’t had an item about seaweeds for some time. To remedy that deficiency, this week’s post is about … seaweeds (and structural colour).
Intrigued?
More at plantcuttings.uk/2025/10/31/a...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
A deep dive into seaweed structural colour
Investigating the tips of the red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis, Hiroshi Kawai & Taizo Motomura identified presence of ‘nanospheres’. The structural colours of blue or white produ…
plantcuttings.uk
November 1, 2025 at 9:20 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
Garden shed?
More of a museum piece...
Stay safe.
nafnlaus.bsky.social Nafnlaus 🇮🇸 🇺🇦 🇬🇪 @nafnlaus.bsky.social · Oct 24
FOR SALE: Garden shed

Disassembly required. Located in France.

ht/Þóra
October 25, 2025 at 8:59 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
Back to book reviews this week, and a look at Canopy Meg’s Tree day, 24 trees in 24 hours. Lots of plant biology and ecology for your viewing pleasure.
More at plantcuttings.uk/2025/10/24/2...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
24 hours in the botanical 8th continent
Tree day by Meg Lowman explores the intricate biology and ecology of trees, focusing on 24 species through personal anecdotes and insights from her extensive fieldwork. The book emphasizes the ecol…
plantcuttings.uk
October 25, 2025 at 7:25 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
No cutting for you this week, nor even a book review.
Instead, an unashamedly self-congratulatory post on the occasion of the blog’s 2nd birthday(!).
More at plantcuttings.uk/2025/10/17/h...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
Happy 2nd birthday (to us)!
The blog ‘plantcuttings.uk’ celebrates its second anniversary and reflects on its growth and content. A discussion on the use of AI-generated images highlights concerns about scientific…
plantcuttings.uk
October 18, 2025 at 7:11 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
An appraisal of a plants-and-people book for this week, one about wood-and-woodologists.
Intrigued?
Read more at
plantcuttings.uk/2025/10/10/c...
#Botany
#PlantScience
Celebrating dendrochronology and dendrochronologists
In the Circle of Ancient Trees, edited by Valerie Trouet, explores dendrochronology and its significance through ten extraordinary tree species. The book combines scientific insight with human inte…
plantcuttings.uk
October 11, 2025 at 6:53 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
Wow!
rgleadow.bsky.social Prof Ros Gleadow FAA @rgleadow.bsky.social · Oct 4
Wordle 1,568 2/6

⬜🟨🟨🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
October 4, 2025 at 7:26 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
A botanical term to get your teeth into in this week’s post: Ergastic substances.
Intrigued?
Read more at
plantcuttings.uk/2025/10/03/w...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
When is a tree not a tree? When it’s a rock(!)
By way of an introduction to “ergastic substances” in plants, Mr P Cuttings considers calcium oxalate and carbonate. And relates this to a report that certain fig trees can sequester su…
plantcuttings.uk
October 4, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Reposted by Plant Cuttings
geminiteamlab.bsky.social
📢 A Junior Professorship (W1, tenure track) is open at the Center for Plant Molecular Biology at Uni Tübingen (@zmbp-tuebingen.bsky.social) — to work on plant protein biochemistry (composition, structure, dynamics, or regulation of protein complexes). 🌱 Great opportunity — Apply by Oct 17th!
September 9, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Reposted by Plant Cuttings
markuseichhorn.bsky.social
Tree inside tree.
I don't know the origin of this photo, I saw it via Forest Machine Magazine. It shows a cut log with internal scarring and heartwood discolouration creating the shape of a tree within the trunk.
September 28, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Reposted by Plant Cuttings
alomshaha.bsky.social
Primary Teachers! In case you missed these, there are some lovely FREE resources for teaching how to tell the time here. If you’re in London, I’m available for an interactive, demo-based presentation about the history and science of timekeeping.
“About Time” Teaching Resources
The lovely people at DK have made some teaching resources to accompany “About Time” which include activities to help children think about the importance of time, practise telling the ti…
alomshaha.com
September 27, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Reposted by Plant Cuttings
piotraz.bsky.social
🚀 We’re hiring a Postdoc!

Join our group in Poznan, Poland to study meiotic crossover recombination in plants 🌱 Highly motivated & enthusiastic candidates are welcome!
📅 Deadline: Nov 1, 2025

🔗 ibmib.web.amu.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Postdoc_position-2025-Ziolkowskis-Lab.pdf
September 27, 2025 at 5:03 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
Another book review for you this week, but about proper plants (well, and a giant seaweed…) this time.
Intrigued?
Read more at
plantcuttings.uk/2025/09/26/p...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
Pulling the stuffing out of plants…
Jonathan Drori’s book, the stuff that stuff is made of, explores the crucial role of plants in human life. Featuring 30 plants, it blendis factual information with engaging illustrations, ane…
plantcuttings.uk
September 27, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Reposted by Plant Cuttings
isog.bsky.social
🧪📚
September 18, 2025 at 2:17 PM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
A review of another book about fungi from the extraordinary talent that is Dr Alison Pouliot.
Intrigued?
Read more at
plantcuttings.uk/2025/09/19/o...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
Obscure fungal photofest
Funga obscura by Alison Pouliot is a beautifully written exploration of fungi, combining evocative text with stunning photography from various global locations. The book offers insights into the ec…
plantcuttings.uk
September 20, 2025 at 8:33 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
A book review – about fungi – for you this week.
Read more at
plantcuttings.uk/2025/09/12/d...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
Delivering your daily dose of fungi
“Mushroom Day” by Alison Pouliot is a delightful book featuring 24 essays on distinct fungi, each enriched with illustrations by Stuart Patience. Exploring various aspects of fungi folk…
plantcuttings.uk
September 13, 2025 at 7:56 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
The tale of the tomato and the potato for you this week.
More at plantcuttings.uk/2025/09/05/t...
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
Tomato or potato, which came first?
This post explores the evolutionary and historical relationship between potatoes and tomatoes, both members of the nightshade family. It briefly discusses their introduction to Europe via the Colum…
plantcuttings.uk
September 8, 2025 at 9:05 AM
plantcuttings.bsky.social
Mr P Cuttings casts a sceptical eye over a botanist’s book about plants this week…
More at plantcuttings.uk/2025/08/29/a...
[Free subscription to the blog still available – would make a great Hallowe’en present..?]
Cheers!
#Botany
#PlantScience
A sceptical look at plants
Tim Entwisle’s “The sceptical botanist” is a highly readable collection of essays that address plant-related questions. While the book provides engaging insights, it sometimes lac…
plantcuttings.uk
August 30, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Reposted by Plant Cuttings
botsocamerica.bsky.social
Today is #ADayforBSA!

🌿 Support the future of botany by donating to the BSA Endowment. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference and allows us to support students, our publications, and community-building conferences now and for years to come.

Donate now: crm.botany.org/civicrm/cont...
August 27, 2025 at 1:48 PM