Book Description

The Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents features the history, cultivation, and imaginative use of more than 300 plants -- in step-by-step color stages. This is a feast of in-depth information and eye-catching photography.DK's new line of paperback titles combines all the qualities of its hardcovers with the advantages of the soft cover format. Each of these already popular books will now be available to a large new readership who will delight in the essential elements of every DK title: clarity, educational value, and visual appeal. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Not the "Complete" Book without Yuccas!
This is a georgeous book, but it doesn't mention Yuccas at all! There is very little on Agavaceae in general.
The outstanding photography makes it somewhat worthwhile. All of the plants are photographed on white seamless, so they really pop off the page.

Excellent reference, not just for beginners
If you had to limit yourself to just one book, this should be that book.

For novices, this book has excellent basic advice for getting started, including many pictures and of how to display and plant them. For those with more experience, the book is a handy first reference before searching a specialized botanical tome.

This book makes the specific point that (popular, commonly available) cacti are no more difficult to grow than any other house plant.

The book thoroughly covers the needs of these plants, including what kind of soil, how much water, what temperature and amount of light they prefer.

The largest section has all of the popular genera, including the tropical varieties. This section has excellent photography of the plants at their best. If a person had a cactus that's in this book, that person would very likely be able to identify it from the descriptions and pictures. The book usually describes the distinguishing feature that classifies the plants of that type.

Typical and maximum sizes are given, along with the plants' growth habits and the age at which they first flower (some varieties do not flower until they are many years old).

Also included in this section is the hardiness, or how cold the plants can get before they die. If you don't live where these plants naturally grow, this is very important information. For instance, many kinds of cactus grow where it snows in the winter and can be grown outdoors in most of the USA.

At least one of each of the different general forms of cactus is shown: columnar cacti, prickly-pear types, barrel types, etc.

Following the section on specific cacti is a fairly representative section on popular succulents. There are so very many different kinds of succulents in the world, even a book ten times thicker would barely scratch the surface. This book concentrates on those species which are most commonly planted alongside cactus.

The lists at the back of the book are almost worth the price of the book itself. There are lists that categorize cacti and succulents in every which way, including many species that were not pictured or discussed in the main sections. There are lists by how easy the plants are to grow ("easy", "moderate", "difficult"), lists by temperature range ("cool", "temperate", "hot"), and other useful groupings. These lists help make this book continually valuable, even as one's experience and knowledge grows beyond the basics.

This author (Terry Hewitt) has written other books on cacti and succulents. Those books are also excellent, and worth purchasing for the unique information that they contain, but mainly as supplements to this book.

There are also other excellent cactus books that are more complete, but also more technical - or more specialized (for instance, there is an entire reference work on just the "opuntia" (prickly-pear) species).

This book is perfectly written for the average amateur cactus lover.

Kill Your Lawn - Part 2
Several years ago I converted my front lawn into a cactus garden. Actually, it's a hybrid cactus/zen garden. It has the requisite stream [dry of course] and dry pond. The buddhas have been replaced by coyotes and the lamps by Mexican-style chimneys. My neighbors seem to like it [at least they haven't tried to run me out of town]. Terry Hewitt's The Complete Book Of Cacti and Succulents has been an invaluable reference in my cactus education. It's a DK book and therefore has the killer DK style that I love so much. It's not as comprehensive as Miles Anderson's The Ultimate Book Of Cacti And Succulents [which Terry Hewitt consulted on], but it is still an excellent reference. My rating is actually higher than 4 stars, but not high enough to make it a 5 star book.

Excellent book- great info.- great photos!
Terry Hewitt's Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents may not exactly be complete (it is not an encyclopedia), but it is thorough and is an excellent book especially for beginners. Hewitt discusses the anatomy and discovery of cacti/succulents, how to plant them, propogate them, how to keep them healthy, and even discusses how best to display the plants. And of course the most important part: the plant catalog. He covers hundreds of cacti and succulents in full color. In addition to the many desert cacti I'm happy to say that Hewitt also covers epiphytic cacti including aporocactus, aporophyllum, epiphyllum, and the Christmas cacus. In the back of the book the author includes Plant Selection Lists. In these lists he lists the plants that are best for beginners, as indoor pot plants, those that are easy to flower, those that grow best in the different climates, etc. And I again want to stress the many, many beautiful, clear full color photos throughout the book.

One of the best succulent books I've seen
Beautiful pictures and helpful information are what makes this such a fantastic book. Descriptions of individual species is a bit sparse, but this doesn't detract much from the overall appeal of this book. ... Read more

Book Description

For gardeners, for landscape professionals, and for anyone who cares about preserving the natural world, NATIVE TREES, SHRIBS, AND VINES is the first national guide to using, growing, and propagating North American woody plants.
Written in lively, informative language and illustrated with more than two hundred photographs, William Cullina's book is a comprehensive reference to almost one thousand native woody plants. An invaluable guide for naturalists, restorationists, nursery owners, landscape architects, and designers as well as gardeners, it points out that ecological gardening offers specific benefits to the individual as well as the environment. Even more than wildflowers, native trees, shrubs, and vines are essential to providing the food and shelter that attract birds and insects to the garden. And plants that are native to an area are far easier to grow and maintain than ordinary cultivated garden plants.
The author's acclaimed companion volume on wildflowers, GROWING AND PROPAGATING WILDFLOWERS, was called "an inspired effort, beautifully written and loaded with useful information" by Robert G. Breunig, director of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Along with that volume, NATIVE TREES, SHRUBS, AND VINES provides a definitive reference to the native plants of the temperate North American continent. And because Cullina writes from personal experience with the plants in his books, he offers information that is considerably more helpful (and more interesting) than the facts one finds in most plant references. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good writing with mediocre illustrations
This book is a valuable guide to native woody plants. The habits, landscape value, propagation and culture of most( a few are missing) of the important plants are described in a very readable manner. Cullina clearly draws from a deep well, I had the impression that he had much more that he could have included, but what is here is great.

There are a couple of criticisms. The photos are relativly sparse compared to the recent books by Dirr or Darke and are not at all well-reproduced. One picture per genus just ain't enough when there is such wonderful variation within genera. Also, the pronunciation guide for Latin plant names is occasionally bizarre...since when does "Aesculus" have four syllables? (But maybe he is right I couldn't find any native Latin speakers to ask) Finally, the book has a clear East coast bias. Although there are many Western US plants that are mentioned, I suspect that many are missing.

Buy this book for the prose.

Finally-woody natives described by an expert
Even though a hard cover reference book isn't usual bedtime reading for me-I couldn't put this down. Each plant is described so personally yet so expertly. Gardening with woody plants is a commitment, and this book provided the insight and knowledge I needed to make choices confidently. The language of the book is wonderful-it is as if the author is chatting with his latest native plant buddy-you. The lists and organization of information is very helpful.

The Long Awaited Sequel to "Wildflowers..."
...was well worth the wait. Cullina's beautiful prose is complemented by the luminous photography. An essential addition to the gardener's, the conservationist's and the nature lover's library. ... Read more

Book Description

Did you know that the smell of sassafras blowing offshore convinced Columbus he was near land? Or that the American sycamore, which has the largest tree trunk in the eastern forest, can live for 500 to 600 years? Or that in the period before the American Revolution, patriots designated a sycamore tree in each colony as a "Liberty Tree" -- a meeting place for plotting against the British?

These facts are just a few of thousands you'll find inBotanica North America, an encyclopedia of the wonderfully diverse North American native plants by noted Canadian garden writer Marjorie Harris. This charming compendium is filled with more than 420 entries that provide essential information on each plant's physical attributes, natural history, common uses, and ethnobotany. There are also fascinating, often surprising anecdotes about plants you won't find anywhere else. From the Eastern forest to the desert, this beautifully written volume roves across the continent exploring how climate and plant life have affected, aided, and inspired us, from the first Native Americans to North Americans living in the twenty-first century: "The lonely majesty of a wind-swept jack pine has inspired generations of poets and painters," Harris writes. "These trees endure in spite of terrible weather . . . a jack pine forest has a dense, closed canopy with an understory of cherry, blueberry, hazels, bracken, and sweet fern along with trailing arbutus."

Comprehensive and engaging, Botanica North America is also filled with lush photographs of plants in their natural habitat and insightful quotes from a variety of gardening experts and amateurs, from naturalist Rachel Carson to famed conservationist John Muir.

Here is a reference no gardener or environmentalist should be without.

Reviews (2)

A Fitting Tribute to Our Native Plants
Botanica North America is a hefty tome at a little over 650 pages (and I'm guessing over 5 pounds), but the necessity of such a length is explained by the subtitle. Indeed, it would seem an overwhelming task to encapsulate in a book the history, botany, and traditional uses of North America's native plants. Who would even dare try? We can thank Marjorie Harris.

For this comprehensive volume, this prolific and admired Canadian author sought information and opinions from hundreds of experts throughout North America. The acknowledgments alone are over three, packed pages long, so we know that Harris consulted thousands of knowledgeable individuals, and she collected photographs from among the most talented artists on the continent.

Throughout the book, Harris conveys a reverence for our natural world and the plants that inhabit it. She writes with an ecologist's view, noting that "If the point of this book is to honor native plants, it is also to honor their history, the secrets they have shared, the role they have played and must continue to play in the survival of our species. . . . We are the stewards of this land and if we do our best . . . to save as much of their habitat as possible, then we will be giving these plants the respect they deserve."

To organize such a daunting task, Harris divided North America into the following regions: the Eastern Forests (covering the Northeast and Southeast); Swamps and Wetlands; Florida; The Boreal Forest; The Prairie; The Desert; California; Montane; The Tall Trees; and The Tundra.

The profile of each region begins with several pages of overview that introduce each area and capture its essence. Then Harris concentrates on the plants that are critical to the region and have been historically important to the human inhabitants. She organizes the plants by family, and each species she highlights is described through its botanical structure, ethnobotany, and natural history.

One feature I especially appreciate is this book's "browsability." I can pick it up just to admire the photos if I wish. Or I can thumb through, picking up captivating quotes by nature writers and early explorers, from William Bartram to Walt Whitman. Or I can browse the plant descriptions, learning fascinating tidbits of information. I have always wondered why the blooms of bluebells turn from pink to blue as they mature - now I know. And I learned that Native Americans used the dogwood as an "indicator plant," timing their planting of corn to the blooming of the tree.

I look forward to learning more about the secrets and history of our native plants as I continue to explore this extensively researched book. Botanica North America will not get stored on my bookshelf; rather it will stay at my fingertips, always ready to supply me with information or inspiration.

Native plants in their glory
This book is a departure for Canada's best-known garden writer. The reviews I've read tend to give the impression that it is a gardening book, but it's more of a venture into history, geography, botany and enthobotany, than horticulture. Information that gardeners depend on, such as hardiness zones of plants, isn't there, but that doesn't mean gardeners won't be fascinated by this extensive exploration of North American native plants.

The book offers photos and the stories of more than 420 plants-trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants-that grew in North America before Europeans arrived. The plants were selected because they are or were in some way valuable or important to people, whether native peoples or European settlers. At more than 650 pages, the book is extensive (it would have taken several volumes to encompass all the important plants). Still, there are some surprising omissions, for example, hickory, bitternut and pecan are included in the juglandaceae, but the ubiquitous black walnut isn't.

Organized geographically, the book ranges from the eastern forests to Florida, from the boreal forest to the prairies, the southern deserts to California and the Pacific Northwest. The northern tundra is included, as well as a chapter on the "three sisters", the agricultural plants aboriginal peoples cultivated, corn, squash and beans.

Lush photographs accompany many of the entries, which provide essential information on each plant's attributes and historical uses. Harris includes stories and quotations from early European plant enthusiasts who often courted hardship and danger to learn as much as they could about the new plants they were encountering. Many compelling stories come from these early observers and amateur botanists. Unfortunately, the publisher chose only to index plant names (common and botanical), and not the names of people. For example, I was hoping to find reference to Catharine Parr Traill, the sister of Susanna Moody (of Roughing it in the Bush fame), and the author of Canadian Wild Flowers (1868). As early as the mid-nineteenth century, Parr Traill regretted the almost wholesale destruction of the Canadian wilderness and its plants due to the onslaught of farmers clearing the land for crops and loggers harvesting timbers to ship to eager markets in Europe. Parr Traill is, in fact, quoted several times, but you won't find her name in the index. Notes for each chapter do detail sources, but an alphabetical index would have made these names so much easier to find.

Botanica North America isn't a book you can read from cover to cover quickly-instead it's one to keep on the coffee table or at the bedside table to savor and dip into over many weeks. Harris brings to our attention the enormous variability and richness of the North American landscape. One can't help but come away with a sense of regret over how much was destroyed, both deliberately and by accident (and still is being ruined today as suburban sprawl continues to eat up the landscape). Fortunately, awareness of native plants is on the upswing, and this book certainly marks a welcome contribution to the current revival of interest in these magnificent and under appreciated plants. Bravo, Marjorie Harris! ... Read more

Book Description

"Some new mushroomers will find this single volume all the library they need to harvest and enjoy wild mushrooms for the table." --Mushroom the Journal"The publication is of excellent quality and print, well edited, authoritative, and provides an excellent introduction to edible and poisonous wild mushrooms." --Mycologia Unusual shapes and colors make many mushrooms alluring to the eye, while the exotic flavors and textures of edible mushrooms are a gourmet delicacy for the palate. Yet many people never venture beyond the supermarket offerings, fearing that all other mushrooms are poisonous. With amateur mushroom hunters especially in mind, David Fischer and Alan Bessette have prepared Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America. This field guide presents more than 100 species of the most delicious mushrooms, along with detailed information on how to find, gather, store, and prepare them for the table. More than 70 savory recipes, ranging from soups and salads to casseroles, canapes, quiches, and even a dessert, are included. Throughout, the authors constantly emphasize the need for correct identification of species for safe eating. Each species is described in detailed, nontechnical language, accompanied by a list of key identifying characteristics that reliably rule out all but the target species. Superb color photographs also aid in identification. Poisonous "lookalikes" are described and illustrated, and the authors also assess the risks of allergic or idiosyncratic reactions to edible species and the possibilities of chemical or bacterial contamination. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Limited scope, horrible recipes.
I bought this book many years ago as the first of what is now a fairly large collection on the subject. As the title indicates, it concentrates on the EDIBLE fungi, so the reviewer who was dissappointed because he/she could ID only one of the 13 mushrooms he/she found has unfair expectations out of the scope of this work. That said, only the most popular edibles seem to be listed here, and variants on those species are not covered in much depth. It's ok for those who just want to be able to distinguish a golden chanterelle from a jack-o-lantern, or a morel from a thimble-cap so they can safely gather some edibles. The worst thing about this book, however, is it's unfortunate recipes. Every single recipe I've tried from it completely sucks. Either the cooking method is inappropriate to that particular mushroom (turning delicate specimins to mush, for instance, or inundating absorptive ones with oil), or strong flavors from other ingredients overwhelm the sometimes subtle flavors of the mushrooms themselves. I get much better results by trusting my cooking intuition and experimenting than I do by following these recipes.

more confused than before
I came to US from Europe several years ago. It was a family tradition to go pick wild mushrooms every fall during my childhood years. So when I moved to Virginia countryside I decided I will try and revive the mushroom picking tradition in my new country. I started with a book to help me identify all those different, unfamiliar species of mushrooms. So I bought the "Edible Wild Mushroom Guide". I went to the woods and picked a bunch of different mushrooms - each one was different and tried to use the Guide to identify them . Out of about 14 visibly different species of mushrooms that I picked - the guide gave positive ID on ONE (!) mushroom only. Other 13 were not even included in the book. I can't testify to the quality of recepie part of the book - I was somewhat reluctant to cook things I can not identify!

Great for Beginners
For a "first" book on wild mushrooms I found this one to be very good. The pictures show the top, bottom, stems, colors and different parts of each mushroom. There are "warnings" on those that are ediable, but make some people sick, and the NO-NO"s are equally shown and written about. We're just new at this, and for a "starter" book this was just the ticket.

An excellent companion book to a good field guide
For those interested in preparing and eating the more common and easily-recognized species of edible mushrooms, this book is a must-have. In-depth species descriptions, including dangerous look a likes, make positive identifications much easier. Lush recipes (with photos) in the back of the book inspire mycophagists to get out in the woods and hunt their quarry. Buy the book -- you'll love it! Suggest using this book in conjunction with Audubon or other field guide.

Beautiful photography Wonderful recipies!
This books is a wonderful collection of fantistic color photographs. Each recipie is a new journey into an exciting and tasty world of foods under our feet. Highly recommended to scientist and amatuer alike! ... Read more

Book Description

With this astonishing collection of tree portraits, Thomas Pakenham has produced a new kind of tree book.The arrangement owes nothing to conventional botany. The trees are grouped according to their characteristics: Natives, Travellers, Shrines, Fantasies and Survivors.Roughly half consist of ancient native trees; half are exotic newcomers from Europe, the East and North America.Of the Natives, most are huge and some are immeasurably old. The great yew at Selborne, blown down in the 1990 hurricane, but still clinging to life is believed to be centuries older than the Christian church built beside it in the thirteenth century.Common to all these trees is their power to inspire awe and wonder.Meetings with Remarkable Trees is a lovingly researched audio experience, each tree is featured in a beautifully illustrated full-colour inlay. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

This book is indescribably beautiful.
I love Britain's great trees, and coming from Christchurch, New Zealand's most English city, I grew up surrounded by them. So I read this book and studied its beautiful photographs with a sense of familiarity and of awe. Who can't feel awed by oaks and elms and birches? My God: their grandeur is overwhelming.

An Amazing Book! Beauty so deep ...
Photos so beautiful of trees so magnificent you are moved to emotion. Feelings of smallness overcame me looking at these trees. And feelings of shame at what we, the human race, have done to entire forests of trees. The UK for example, especially Ireland, once almost completely forested. What a loss.

I cannot look at trees the same after this book. I always loved them, but now I can hardly bear to consider cutting any down due to thoughts of what they can become.

Beautiful pictures.
Worth the price for the gorgeous photography.

beautiful images of Great Britain's beautiful trees
This book was everything I'd hoped for -- and less and more! I'd hoped for a book full of beautiful photographs of large old trees, and it is that, indeed. It is also a bit less than I'd hoped, being trees only of the United Kingdom, and I would dearly love to have this author give a similar treatment to the gentle giants inhabiting other parts of the world.

It is also much more than I'd expected, being filled with enchanting stories of the 60 (groups of) trees Pakenham has chosen to introduce. Each tree (group) is beautifully photographed, often with people nearby so you can get a sense of their immensity, and the images are accompanied by a few pages of text filled with delightful anecdotes and histories.

Making the book even more valuable for travellers is a gazetteer with a map of the UK showing each tree's location as well as information regarding its common name, scientific name, full measurements and accessibilty to the public. Unfortunately none of the sixty are located in Wales, but there are 8 in Ireland, 10 in Scotland and 42 in England, including 10 in the London area. The book is interspersed with olde line drawings, and the book concludes with a bibliography, credits for the illustrations and a good index.

If you love trees or travel to Great Britain, you will want to meet this remarkable book. Highest recommendation.

Fascinating
Meetings With Remarkable Trees is Fascinating! I love this book. It's not just about big or old trees, it's about interesting trees. Trees with stories, or histories. Trees noted in past botanical books or by ancient poets, looked for today - some found alive, some are found 'dead on their feet' as he puts it. He groups the trees by personalities - such as the natives, travellers, mothers, survivors, shrines. Filled with tree lore, fact and legend both. Gorgeous photography interspersed throughout the whole book. Enchanting. ... Read more

Book Description

This user-friendly and authoritative book will serve scientists, growers, and sightseers as a guide to the 67 genera and 550 species of naturally occurring palms found in the Americas. Its purpose is to give an introduction to the diversity of palms and allow almost anyone to identify a palm from this part of the world. Providing scientifically accurate descriptions and a rich supply of illustrations, including color photos taken in the wild of over 256 species, this guide is extraordinary in its coverage of the plant that has become for many people the symbol of the tropical landscape.

Palms are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they also make up an economically and ecologically important family of plants. In industry, for example, the coconut, oil palm, and date palm have a wide and varied use. In the lowland rain forest, palms are usually one of the most abundant and diverse families of plants. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas will appeal to professional scientists or students workingin the tropics-including agronomists, anthropologists, ecologists, entomologists, natural historians, and zoologists-as well as to amateur and professional growers of palms, to "eco-tourists" who visit tropical regions, and to inhabitants of these regions who are interested in the native flora. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A must for all palm enthusiasts
Overall it would say that it 's the excellent job that authors has put together all the description of American palm species. It would be welcome among serious palm collectors as well as reserchers.

The only thing I don't like about this book and I think it is controversial among palm colleectors is that the book tends to lump down many named species into a synonymous for example, a genus Coccothrinax or the palms in the Attalea Group. Though not all of the recorded species are really distinct from each other, many of them are quite different and should be separately treated at least in a variety level i.e., genus Acrocomia which authors has lumped from 26 recorded species inot only 2 species. This is however not explicitly stated there at all.

A must have!
This is probably the most useful book for anyone involved in plant identification, such as Forest Engineers, specially those working in tropical America, where one often encounters many kinds of palms in the field, but until now it was not easy to identify them, and palms are mostly overlooked because they have the reputation of being difficult to identify. This book changes it all, and it's definitely a must-have.

There are two more authors for this book!!!
I use this book for field work, and it seems not fair that a book of three authors, appears as a one-author book, I know the other two people and they are scientist and work in the palms (Arecaceae) as well as Mr Henderson. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Extremely helpful
While trying to identify some slides that I shot during June of some wildflowers in Colorado, I tried to use Peterson's Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers. I had a very difficult time trying to identify anything. I picked up Guennel's guide (for both prairie and mountain) and within minutes I had EVERY wildflower slide identified. I'd like to see more information about each plant, such as when it indicates 'poisonous' for the plant, is it for the whole plant, root, petals, ??? But the ease in identification more than makes up for the lack of additional info. I definately recommend this book.

Excellent - just like it's companion book
See review for Guide to Colorado Wildflowers: Mountains for this review. Same author and same style applies to this one. Excellent resource with ease of use.

I'm Not Wearing Any Pants!
Nice guide, grouping by color helpful for identification. Could use more detailed anatomical descriptions and photos are a bit small. ... Read more

Book Description

Admired by plant enthusiasts, botanists, and nature lovers of all ages, wildflowers comprise one of the most beloved—and diverse—groupings of flora in South Carolina. Although relatively small in size, the Palmetto State hosts a remarkable variety of wildflower species, from the trillium and bloodroot that brighten its forests to heliotrope and common toadflax that dot the state's roadsides and fields. With color photographs (all by Richard D. Porcher) and extensive descriptions of more than 680 species, A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina offers a complete and indispensable reference for finding and appreciating these natural treasures.

Employing the same innovative approach Richard D. Porcher used in Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry, he and Douglas A. Rayner simplify the task of identification by grouping species according to habitat. For each species identified, the authors include interesting facts—many not widely known or readily available—about rarity, suitability for garden cultivation, and origin of common and scientific names.

Of added interest, the botanists share itineraries for more than fifty wildflower expeditions and short essays on a variety of topics, including carnivorous plants, Carolina bays, native orchids, medicinal plants and folk remedies, poisonous plants, edible plants, and the role of fire in natural communities. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very Informative
I took a class this summer and one of the Text we used was the Guide to Wildflowers of South Carolina. This book is very informative and gives many different topics for each plant listed. Later I met Dr. Porcher and he really knows his stuff.

Beautiful WildFlowers in The Country
My husband and I moved to the country,living on 5acres surrounded by woods.We have all kinds of beautiful wildflowers growing here.A guild to wildflowers in s.c.has helped us to identify alot of these flowers.what a wonderful book to have around.Its just full of helpful information on these plants. ... Read more

Book Description

Living at the limits of our ordinary perception, mosses are a common but largely unnoticed element of the natural world. "Gathering Moss" is a beautifully written mix of science and personal reflection that invites readers to explore and learn from the elegantly simple lives of mosses.

In this series of linked personal essays, Robin Kimmerer leads general readers and scientists alike to an understanding of how mosses live and how their lives are intertwined with the lives of countless other beings. Kimmerer explains the biology of mosses clearly and artfully, while at the same time reflecting on what these fascinating organisms have to teach us.

Drawing on her experiences as a scientist, a mother, and a Native American, Kimmerer explains the stories of mosses in scientific terms as well as in the framework of indigenous ways of knowing. In her book, the natural history and cultural relationships of mosses become a powerful metaphor for ways of living in the world. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Model of Popular Science Writing
Science writers have a responsibility to educate the public so that people will act to save what's left of the web of life. Few carry out their task with such effectiveness as Robin Wall Kimmerer has done in Gathering Moss. Well-chosen similes and analogies animate her stories, and well-drawn parallels to other areas of science broaden their appeal. I'm recommending this book to all of my friends, especially those who haven't yet discovered the wonders to be found in wandering around in forests.

Thoroughly Enjoyable
I purchased a copy of this book after hearing the author read a short passage on NPR. I was fascinated with her prose but did not expect a book, written by a biologist about an obscure topic of limited interest to a lay person, to be a compelling page turner. I read the first chapter and was hooked, devouring the remaining pages in two sittings. I immediately ordered two additional copies as Christmas gifts. Ms Kimmerer is an entertaining story teller in the finest tradition of indigenous peoples in addition to her many talents as a professional biologist, ecologist and expert bryologist. I especially recommend this book to those who may think they know everything they wish to about mosses, for there is something for all readers here.

Eloquent, poetic nature prose! Very enjoyable!
Gathering Moss is a wonderful collection of essays written from the heart of a idigenous writer. I truly enjoyed reading the book. The essays relate life experiences of the author (a Mom and professor of botany). These stories are skillfully woven together with humor, scientific knowledge and the spiritual experience of being in the woods. The descriptions of the landscape and plants bring me back to the Adirondack mountains...you can almost smell the balsam and feel the cool dampness of the mosses. I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hard-core Taxonomy
Plants of Pennsylvania is an exhaustive taxonomy of the fauna of the keystone state. Both native and introduced species are included. It is not light reading, but as a reference it is excellent.

The cover artwork is not representative of the text, which contains only line drawings of good quality. The book is well indexed, by both scientific and common names, and probably is the best entrance point for most readers. I found the glossary particularly helpful. It has illustrations and definitions of hundreds of mostly obscure botanical terms that a few of us forgot and most of us never learned. ... Read more

Book Description

Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers is the ultimate field guide towildflowers of the midwestern tallgrass prairie.This valuablereference enables all prairie enthusiasts to quickly and accuratelyidentify hundreds of tallgrass prairie plants. More than 320 colorphotographs Precise descriptions of 295 species Habitat/rangeinformation Historical and cultural notes Educational glossary Completeindex of scientific and common names Directory of tallgrass prairies in13 states ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent reference
This book set a high standard for the soon-to-be Falcoln series. The stunning photographs complement the confident text. Ladd's book has been a constant companion when I search out prairie remnants. A professional, consummate work that should find a place on every botanist's bookshelf.

These are all native plants
I felt I should comment on one part of Rissa's review. She mentions that Queen Anne's lace is not in this book, and feels this is a detriment. On the contrary, this is one of the best features of the book: it contains only NATIVE plants, and not many of the invasive, non-native weeds, like Queen Anne's lace, which are very difficult to control in prairies.
If you don't see a common plant in this book, it's likely because it is an imported weed.
There are many, many "wildflower" identification books that include everything-and-the-kitchen-sink, adding to the common confusion about what a 'wildflower' is. (For instance, Dame's Rocket should be on the 'weed' list, but it's in most of the 'wildflower' mixes.)
If you are looking for an all-inclusive book, the Golden Press,"A Guide to Field Identification of Wildflowers of North America", ISBN 0-307-13664-7 is helpful because it includes the weeds, but tells where they came from and how far they have spread across North America. Of course the USDA's PLANTS website (plants.usda.gov) is the best internet source for this technical information.

This book makes it easy
Just as it is hard to look up the spelling of a word in the dictionary, until you know how it is spelled, it can be hard to identify a plant until you know what it is. This book of photographs of common prairie flowers, grouped by color, is pretty easy to flip through until you find the plant at hand. The caveat is that many 'pink' flowers are in the 'purple' section, but this is true of many flowers (few people really consider 'purple coneflower' to be purple.)
If you want just one field guide to get you started with these gorgeous plants, this is the one I would recommend.

"the iridescent glow was beautiful and wondrous"
I really like the fact that this book is laid out according to flower color, it makes it so much easier to find the plant I'm trying to identify. I also liked the clear, beautiful photographs as well as the detailed text that provides common and Latin names, family, description and habitat or range for each plant. The book seems very complete with 295 species listed, but I was surprised to find that Queen Anne's Lace isn't in it, which, although it may not be native, is certainly ubiquitious here in the tallgrass prairie where I live.

There is a ten-page chapter on how to use the book, a sort of Botany 101, which is very helpful in explaining how to identify prairie plants via what the author calls their "diagnostic features" -- leaves, flowers, overall shape, scent and, in some cases, the sap. The book's cover is sturdy and water-resistant which is nice if you need to set it down on the ground while you take pictures. Also included is a very useful directory of many of America's remaining tallgrass prairie preserves and parks with descriptions plus phone numbers of the government agencies, universities and organizations that oversee them (I was pleasantly surprised at how many times The Nature Conservancy is listed). The book ends with a short bibliography and a very complete index.

I bought this book as a companion to "Birding Illinois," by Sheryl De Vore (from the same publisher). De Vore's book covers various Illinois parks and wildlife areas, many of which are prairies and woodlands. I figure I can take both books and look for birds as well as beautiful prairie flowers.

THE book to have for identification of Tallgrass Wildflowers
This book has fabulous photos and excellent descriptions to aid in the identification of tallgrass prairie wildflowers. Its a must have for any prairie enthusiast. ... Read more

Book Description

An international authority on irises offers the first definitive book in English on the history and cultivation of the Japanese iris. ... Read more

Book Description

40 b/w photographs, 32 line illustrations, 40 tables The Cactaceae family, with about sixteen hundred species, is cultivated worldwide for fruits, forage, fodder, and even as a vegetable. Cacti are recognized for their attractive flowers, special stem shapes, and ability to tolerate drought. Because of their efficient use of water and other adaptations, biological and agronomic interest in cacti has soared. These fascinating plants also have much to teach us about biodiversity and conservation. Yet a current, synthetic, wide-ranging reference on cacti has not been available until now. This comprehensive book, compiled by a well-known cactus biologist, includes authoritative, up-to-date chapters by thirty-five contributors from around the world on topics ranging from evolution to biotechnology. It is the first book of its kind to compile information on cactus biology, ecology, and uses in one convenient place. The first half of the book provides a thorough overview of cactus biology and morphology and discusses the environmental and conservation issues that affect the plants. It includes a discussion of the evolution of the family, paying particular attention to new genetic and molecular approaches. The second half of the book focuses on the practical concerns of cultivating cacti, such as pest control and diseases, horticultural and forage applications, and techniques for agronomy. Other chapters cover the different markets for cacti and products that are made from them. This unique volume will be a reliable and informative reference for ecologists and environmentalists, agriculturists, plant biologists, and anyone seriously interested in these remarkable plants. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Advanced book for specialists
This is an advanced book, with plenty of black and white photos, but no color photos. This book consists of fifteen review chapters written by established experts and new contributors. The book description states that Cacti: Biology and Uses is the first book of its kind to compile information on cactus biology, ecology and uses.

Because this book covers a wide variety of topics, such as biology, morphology, conservation, pollination, and pest control, the writing is quite advanced in several different subject areas. For example, a physiologist may totally understand the chapter on shoot anatomy and morphology (Chapter 2), but may have less understanding of the chapter about breeding and biotechnology (Chapter 15). In Chapter 10 alone (Cactus Pear Fruit Production) a reader finds economic content with a supply and demand analysis and agronomic content with fertilizer and irrigation information. This seems to validate the book's description as a compilation of cacti information.
As previously mentioned, Cacti: Biology and Uses does not have any color photos, but it does have many, quality black and white photos, as well as many tables and figures. A basic table of contents is printed in the front, and then, each chapter begins with a more detailed table of contents. Each chapter ends with a conclusion and an extensive list of literature cited. An index, with some "See" and "See also" references, is provided in the back.

This is a high quality book who are interested in the biology, ecology or uses of a unique family of plants. ... Read more

Book Description

Learn how interesting and delicious the wild harvest of Alaska, western Canada, and the Northwest can be in this significant illustrated volume on 147 wild plants. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An excellent resource with high-quality photos.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly, from it's interesting tidbits on historic uses of plants, to the explanations of known toxic principles within plants. The cautions about harvest, use, and overuse are well-stated. Thedescriptions enhance the line-drawings, and each plant description comeswith an excellent photograph, making this a terrific guide foridentification of wild edibles!

Wow, what a field guide, and check out all those recipes!
I just got this book (fourth printing, 1998) in my mail, and I can testifythat it's well worth the money. It's a really good field guide to plants ofThe Far North, be it Alaska or Finland.

In addition to excellentpictures (which really show you clearly how to tell this plant apart fromothers) you'll frequently run across a sentence that goes something like"So-and-so says in his/her book that it's edible after it's been dried/boiled /whatever, but my taste tests implied ...".

Trulyoutstanding research and practical information, both on medicinal andculinary uses of these plants, make this an invaluable addition to thelibrary of anybody interested in plants in the Far North.

Great work,Janice! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Good Beginner's Reference
This is a good, inexpensive book with basic information on how to set up a planted aquarium. I'd recommend this book in conjunction with Barry James' A Fishkeeper's Guide to Aquarium Plants. Although there are a few mistakes (photos of Riccia fluitan and Java moss have been switched), you can't beat the amount of info you get for the price.

Well worth the price 4++ stars
This little book is a very good value. It covers more than 40 different plants in its encylopedia section in addition to its glossary and several different info sections, including info on lighting, nutrients, selection and care. It gives more info about plants than can be obtained in the more general information books and is very inexpensive. It could be organized a little better but it is still very useful and very much worth the price.

Where Are The Fish Supposed To Go?
There are books out there that are sensitive to the interaction of fish and plants. This is not one of them. Please invest a little more money and purchase one of those other books. The sample layouts are incredibly overcrowded. Even some of the photographs reflect the overcrowding!

Best planted aquarium book [for this amount]
Please excuse me, I'm about to gush. If you are just going to buy one book, and you have [little] to spend, buy this one. (If you have unlimited funds, buy this one plus Aquarium Plants by Christel Kasselmann).

As the planted aquarium chairman at our aquarium club, I get a lot of questions. The answers to most of them are in this book. It is a great beginner reference, but be sure to go back and reread it after you've been in the hobby for six months, because you'll learn a lot more about pruning, aquascaping, trimming, etc.

Just buy it!

great for the beginner
I started my aquarium hooby when i was 8 and i'm now 32 so i think my opinion counts for something. this book is well priced and gives a significant amount of information in a small package. the more advanced enthusiasts may find it lacking in detailed information and setups using plants. My rating is based on audience targeted and price. Great value for around $5-$10! ... Read more

Book Description

Authoritative text, clear photography, and a systematic approach make the Smithsonian Handbook of Trees the most comprehensive guide to a wide range of species from around the world. Packed with over 1,000 full--color photographs of more than 500 trees, it is designed to cut through the complex process of identification, enabling you to recognize a species instantly. Identification Made Easy: For beginners and established enthusiasts alike, the Smithsonian Handbook of Trees explains what a tree is, how trees are classified, and how to keep a record of trees you have seen. To help you in the initial stages of identification, the book provides a visual key that shows you the difference between conifers, broadleaves, and palms, identifies each genus by leaf type, and guides you to the correct species entry. A concise glossary defines technical and scientific terms. Photo--Encyclopedic Approach: Expertly written and thoroughly authenticated, each species entry combines a precise description with annotated photographs to highlight each tree's chief characteristics and distinguishing features. A full--color illustration, showing the spread, height, and leaf persistence of the species, as well as color--coded bands providing at--a--glance facts for quick reference, complete every entry. ... Read more

Book Description

Over 675 species of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses, ferns, mosses and lichens commonly found in the region from the crest of the Rockies to the Coast Mountains, including the interior of Washington and Idaho. Detailed species descriptions are combined with concise drawings and color photographs to make plant identification easy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What a Gem.
I bought this book 3 years ago and totally love it.The plant info and the photographs are beautiful. A lot of the info comes from Natives and give the readers information on what the plants can be used for like remedies for toothaches etc. The photographs, over 1000 of them, are all done in colour and are absolutely beautiful. I would have paid 3 times the amount for this book. A must for the outdoorsman. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Water in the desert
For anyone who has wandered out beyond the usual borders of psychology and religion, Richard Moss's work is a pure gift, an oasis, and a place to heal. Despite his extraordinary experiences and profound realization, he is straightforward, unpretentious, and lucid. Better than anyone I know, he brings the transcendent truth into incarnate ordinariness, with humility, humor, and the grace of compassion. I have found his works, particularly this one, to be friends on the path--friends I keep going back to time and again. I cannot recommend his work highly enough to those on the journey of consciousness.

A beautiful experience for any awakening person.
Dr. Moss writes of his own powerful, beautiful, and totally spontaneous awakening experience and how he struggled to understand it and, through it, begin the process of living a life of "radical alivesness". In the book he shares his awakened understandings and the experiences of some of his patients and members of his classes and groups.

I first read the book ten years ago and it had such a tremendous and beautiful impact upon my consciousness that I am still telling people about it today. I was so glad to see it listed on Amazon.com because it was unavailable for awhile.

The message of the book is just as beautiful and important today. Dr. Moss writes that "Awakening is going on in varying degrees in every person. It is not something from which we can turn away".

In the closing chapter Dr. Moss relates the story of a patient whose awakening during a retreat was so powerful that it resulted in a spontaneous healing of cancer and other negative physical conditions.

A must read for evryone who is coming "awake". ... Read more