Original version

BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

BBC Radio 3

Radio 3

The Essay Podcast

The Essay

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond, themed across a week - insight, opinion and intellectual surprise.

The Essay: The Meaning of Trees: Series 2

The Essay: The Meaning of Trees: Series 2: Part 4: The Meaning of Trees: Poplar

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

The Meaning of Trees

Part 4 Part 4: The Meaning of Trees: Poplar

The Meaning of Trees: Poplar

BBC Radio 3 - The Essay, The Meaning of Trees, Series 2, The Meaning of Trees: PoplarClose menu

Fiona Stafford on the poplar, the most modern tree and the first to have its DNA sequenced

Professor Fiona Stafford discusses the poplar, the most modern tree and the first to have its DNA sequenced, revealing many secrets.

Essay Four : Poplar
The second series written and presented by experienced essayist, Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College Oxford, exploring the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of five more trees common in the UK.

Poplar's not much good as wood these days - it's mainly used for matches, but it was used for shields and all sorts for centuries. However, it is the most modern and high tech of all trees, being the first tree to have had its complete DNA sequenced, revealing many surprises and secrets. There are many literary references which is surprising if, as many do, one thinks of the poplar as a tall column like tree, but there are lots of varieties, including those feared in former days because of being the tree from which the Cross was made, and the spreading branches of the abundant American poplar made it the tree of choice for lynch mobs throughout the southern States, as referred to in Strange Fruit, Billie Holiday's song describing the scene after a lynching.

This second series written and presented by experienced essayist, Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College Oxford, explores the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of five more trees common in the UK. Across the series of essays, our ambiguous relationship with trees is explored. The first series was hugely popular and an illustrated book of the essays in planned for 2015.

Producer, Turan Ali
A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3.

The Essay: The Meaning of Trees

Series 2

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Fiona Stafford explores the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of trees

Professor Fiona Stafford of Oxford University explores the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises about different trees, as well as our ambiguous relationship with them.

Professor Fiona Stafford of Oxford University continues to explore the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises about different trees, as well as our ambiguous relationship with them.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Essay

The Meaning of Trees

Series 2

Part 4: The Meaning of Trees: Poplar

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

Series

BBC Radio 3

About BBC Radio 3