In this episode, we learn how the biology of lemons, combined with the historic weakness of the Italian state, is tied to the rise of the Silician mafia. We’ll also learn about what it takes to grow lemon in present-day San Francisco.

Guests:

Alessia Isopi — economics lecturer and researcher at the University of Manchester

Isabel Wade — president of Urban Resource Systems and leader of the Just One Tree Project

Source material:

Origins of the Sicilian Mafia: The Market for Lemons by Arcangelo Dimico, Alessia Isopi, and Ola Olsson

Citrus fruits, scurvy and the origins of the Sicilian mafia by Arcangelo Dimico and Alessia Isopi

Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia by John Dickie

History of the Mafia by Salvatore Lupo

Mafia: The History of the Mob by Nigel Cawthorne

Invasive pest prompts quarantine of citrus plants in San Francisco by Lauren Hernández

Sailors' scurvy before and after James Lind – a reassessment by Jeremy Hugh Baron

Plant Crimes is written and produced by me, Ellen Airhart. If you like this episode, please subscribe and tell people about it through a review. If you want to make sure there’s a season two, here’s a link to my Patreon. Plant Crimes art is by Nikki Duong. Intro music by Doxent Zsigmond and theme song and outro music is by APM. The lemon image is by Kalexander2010. If you want me to investigate a plant crime or you would like to advertise on the show, please get in touch via email at plantcrimes [at] gmail [dot] com, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.



