Indefensive plants is made possible by all of our wonderful patrons that support the podcast

each and every month over at patreon.com slash indefensive plants.

Their monthly contributions ensure that indefensive plants can continue to bring you

amazing botanical and ecological conversations each and every week.

If you are enjoying this podcast and want to help make free science communication possible,

consider becoming a patron. By supporting the show, you will receive wonderful kickbacks,

like stickers, producer credits, and access to multiple mini bonus episodes each month.

Consider becoming a patron today and help spread the love of plants around the globe.

A habitat that has flowering azaleas, it's an experience you'll never forget.

Well, today you're in luck because we are going to be celebrating this amazing group

of deciduous rhododendrons with my friend Patrick Thompson.

He's the curator of special collections at the Davis Arboretum in Auburn, Alabama.

He's also the coordinator of the Alabama Plant Conservation Alliance and he has a special

affinity for azaleas and as you're going to hear this is something that kind of just got dumped

on to him at one point in his life. He never set out to be an expert on this group but he has

such a wealth of information and I don't want to keep you from it any longer so let's just jump

right into it without further ado. Here's my conversation with Patrick Thompson. I hope you enjoy.

All right Patrick Thompson it is so great to have you on the podcast. I'm really excited to

pick your brain today but first let's start by telling everyone a little bit about who you are

and what it is you do. All right names Patrick Thompson and I'm a curator at the Davis Arboretum

at Auburn University and that's two thirds of my 40-hour appointment every week and the other

third is as coordinator of the Alabama Plant Conservation Alliance and so if there is good

...