The Botany of Desire, PBS October 28 at 8pm

Journalist Michael Pollan’s book The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World has been made into a documentary. The two-hour-long film is available on DVD and will be airing on PBS on October 28 at 8pm [check local listings]. Pollan’s tale reveals the deep interconnection between people and plants. Humans have been tantalized by the qualities of sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control and manifested these desires in the plant world.

Sweetness: Apples

Beauty: Tulips

Intoxication: Cannabis

Control: Potatoes

Apples, Tulip, and Pototoes from Di_The_Huntress photostream, Flickr
Cannabis from LancerenoK photostream, Flickr

environment, Gardening

Alicia Lubowski-Jahn holds a PhD in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. She has worked for various museums, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Frick Collection.