Bad Seeds
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The biggest black market you’ve never heard of is blooming right under your nose. Whether it’s a 4,000-pound cactus shoveled from the Arizona desert or delicate orchids pinched from the tangled jungle of Peru, rare plants are at the center of a rapidly growing and lucrative world of crime. Hosted by plant expert Summer Rayne Oakes, Bad Seeds plunges straight into it, featuring the buyers, the sellers, the obsessives, and those who came face-to-face with the criminals behind an underworld few know exist.
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Top 10 Bad Seeds Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Bad Seeds episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Bad Seeds for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Bad Seeds episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Episode 6: The Gray Market
Bad Seeds
05/17/23 • 31 min
Gibson is a favorite guitar brand for the stars. But in 2009, federal agents stormed one of its warehouses, looking for illegal goods. And what ensued was a years-long debate of government overreach versus environmental exploitation.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Introducing: Escape From Zaqistan
Bad Seeds
12/08/24 • 2 min
Deep in the Utah desert is a tiny, tiny, tiny nation: The Republic of Zaqistan. Guarded by robots, Zaqistan nonetheless welcomed new citizens for more than 15 years - until it fell into ruins. Now the eponymous founder wants to rebuild. Join hosts Ryan Murdock, Gabbie Watts and Zaron Burnett on a journey to uncharted territory ... to the nation of Zaqistan...and the upside-down world of micronations.
Listen here and subscribe to Escape From Zaqistan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 2: Plant Mania
Bad Seeds
04/19/23 • 27 min
Philodendron Spiritus-Sancti is one of the rarest plants in the world. Many call it the “Holy Grail of Philodendrons.” In May 2020, the San Diego Botanic Garden had one of these plants as their centerpiece. But in the dead of night, it was stolen.
In this episode of Bad Seeds, a look inside a booming craze for houseplants and how a cultural obsession might be killing the things we love the most.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 3: A Peculiar Hobby
Bad Seeds
04/26/23 • 34 min
In 2014, five tourists traveled to the United States to marvel at cacti in the national parks. But when it becomes clear they’re doing more than just looking, U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents begin surveilling the suspects.
In this episode, we examine how there’s a thin line between passion... and obsession. Is there a difference between overzealous collection and callous crime? And does your motivation – whether pure admiration or a paycheck – matter?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 5: Business Opportunities
Bad Seeds
05/10/23 • 31 min
On November 25, 2019 in Tortugas Bay, six fishermen prepare their boat and begin motoring out onto the water. Their Destination? Isla de Cedros. What appears to be an innocent fishing trip will result in the deaths of two of these men.
In this episode, plant poaching collides with organized crime: how cartels, mobs, and criminal syndicates might be connected to some of your favorite plants.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 4: Charming Personalities
Bad Seeds
05/03/23 • 31 min
In the Lonely Planet Guide, the editors provide one simple admonishment to travelers considering a journey to Panama’s Darien Gap: “Don’t even think about it!” But that didn’t deter English orchid enthusiast Tom Hart Dyke, who plunged into the forest in 2000 to see orchids – but ended up spending ten months in captivity.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 7: The Tree That Bleeds
Bad Seeds
05/24/23 • 30 min
Zambia is home to a rare and coveted rosewood called mukula, but the country has been losing its treeline for years. The Zambian government put regulations and penalties in place to stop the illegal logging of this vital resource, but still, the deforestation continued. So what was accounting for the rapid disappearance of mukula? One undercover investigation exposed a chain of corruption and fraud – leading all the way to the top of Zambia’s government.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
06/08/23 • 2 min
Hey! This is Summer Rayne Oakes, host of Bad Seeds. Our season is wrapped, but if you want even more plant content, I wanted to recommend another podcast that I love.
Growing Joy with Plants explores the plant person connection, and teaches you how to care for plants successfully and cultivate joy in your life by doing so. Click over to Growing Joy with Plants and subscribe, and take a listen to this short trailer to get to know Maria better. You can listen on Apple, Spotify, and follow Maria on Instagram.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode 8: The Destroyer of Worlds
Bad Seeds
05/31/23 • 40 min
In Bad Seeds, we’ve explored the crimes of obsessed hobbyists, of organized criminals, and even corrupt governments. But what about the elephant in the room? What about when the places entrusted to conserve flora are committing the crimes? And what about those risking everything... to protect plant-life and our planet?
This is the last episode of Season 1. But! You can get more plant content by following host Summer Rayne Oakes on her YouTube channels Plant One on Me and Flock.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Bad Seeds have?
Bad Seeds currently has 11 episodes available.
What topics does Bad Seeds cover?
The podcast is about True Crime, Nature, Podcasts and Science.
What is the most popular episode on Bad Seeds?
The episode title 'Episode 2: Plant Mania' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Bad Seeds?
The average episode length on Bad Seeds is 24 minutes.
How often are episodes of Bad Seeds released?
Episodes of Bad Seeds are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Bad Seeds?
The first episode of Bad Seeds was released on Apr 5, 2023.
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