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I've always found it interesting that Neelix always has access to Leola Root. It must grow on nearly every M-Class planet in the Delta Quadrant. Which, given the vastness of space, doesn't make a lot of sense.
Now, I can think of two possible reasons for this. The first is like parallel evolution, like carcinization. Perhaps the Leola Root is just a really good blueprint for a plant, and like animals keep evolving into crabs, plants keep evolving into Leola Root.
The second is, like the humanoid form, an ancient race spread Leola Root throughout the quadrant, seeding worlds with its genes. Judging by Neelix's particular evangelism for the plant, could that race perhaps have been the Talaxians? Perhaps with help from the Vaadwaur's subspace tunnels?
You're suggesting there may have been some kind of interstellar Johnny Leolaseed? I could see that happening.
The more pragmatic reason is that it grows quickly in the hydroponics bay. Perhaps it also contains more nutrients than many of their other crops and as such, more is being produced.
That’s what I thought. Leola root is a high carb root that will grow quickly on mats in a hydroponic bay.
Currently, real life intensive vertical hydroponic gardening is great for leafy greens, but not so much for starchy or other caloric carbs.
Thanks for bringing in a real world aspect. We'll have to assume their methodology/tech can do better with primarily subsurface produce.
Or, Leola root is the hydroponic equivalent of zucchini.
This video seems like something Neelix would make for his morning show.
Wow. That Naomi Wildman is such a little scamp.
That was quite the haul! Thanks for the vid.
I couldn’t resist. Glad you appreciated it, and that new Neelix image is all the thanks I needed.
By the way, in the meantime, I have done some more research only to discover that there are in fact TWO Earth root vegetables that are already viable as hydroponic crops: red radishes and beets.
The idea that Leola root is a cross between radish and beet is now firmly fixed in my mind.
Thus further cementing my disdain. A hybrid flavor of metallic chemicals and sweetened dirt.
One of the first things he does is planting the hydroponics bay.
I remember he makes them go out in a planet, just to gather the plant so he could grow it.
They showed hydroponics. Maybe leola root was the only thing that grew fast enough in hydroponics?
While is is true Neelix had several plants grown in the hydroponic bay, they also have collected Leola root on multiple planets. Either they were seeded (which is somewhat likely; Talaxians used to be widespread in the delta quadrant once upon a time) or "leola" just means "edible" and isn't necessarily a single type of root.
You remember when the Progenitors said they seeded all life? Leola root was included in the seeds.
The frustrating things is if they checked the DNA of all the Leola root species they'd find it contains a hidden message
"Be... sure... to... eat... more... leola root? It's a crummy commercial?"
Or that it’s not really Leola root. Maybe it’s something that Neelix knows nobody would willingly eat, so he just calls it Leola root to make it palatable.
What could be less palatable?
Can't say I recall an otherwise positive reaction to it's taste. And surely, if it wasn't plant life, Kes (a vegetarian) would have chimed in long ago.
Maybe it started out as Leola root, but eventually he ran out, so he’s using whatever he can find around the ship. What? No idea. Use your imagination.
Eh, nothing new:
In space, yesterday's coffee is tomorrow's coffee
I've kind of always assumed this explained where he found so much "Leola Root".
I figure it's different gross crap from planet to planet.
For a couple star systems, his claim that it's "Leola Root" seemed plausible to the crew.
Eventually everyone was putting so much replicated salt on it that they can't taste the flavor changes, and Neelix is just bluffing his way through cooking whatever weeds he can find.
Moichendaising! Leola root the lunchbox! Leola root the doll!
Could just get that it does well in hydroponics and grows really fast.
Right? He went through like the better part of a decade nattering on about and serving his bloody space taters or whatever. That shit was ALWAYS on the menu. Where the hell does he store the mass equivalent of a borg cube’s worth of Leola root, ffs???
Oh yeah - the pattern buffers, of course.