Welcome to the Natural Coalescence Blog

This use probably won't make it onto a toaster oven box or manual, but it was only too obvious for me. How else can you encourage some pine cones to open up in the middle of a cold soggy winter when they've closed back up after laying on the ground for a month or two? And all closed up is NOT going to make the right crafting project. What's a botanist to do? Toast them cones! Little toaster oven set to low is just the right size and not wasting too much energy to gently d

Mistletoe in California oak at Yosemite NP Mistletoes get an interesting and sort of bad rep. They are only really thought about during the holidays (unless by botanists) and many have heard that they are super toxic and kill trees they live on. And yet you’re supposed to smooch under them. Why? Wouldn’t you NOT want to apply your mouth to a person when they are under a toxic plant, just in case some falls on their face right then? Well let’s pick all this apart. If you