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Name That Plant!

shrub and tree ID books - Symonds?

15 years ago

I hope this it's okay to post this here - I'll move it if there's a better spot for it....

here's a list of probable near future book purchases -

I'm looking for some basic tree and shrub id books.

The cullina book is a definite (LOVE the wildflower book).

"The Shrub Identification Book: The Visual Method for the Practical Identification of Shrubs, Including Woody Vines and Ground Covers "(Paperback)

by George W. Symonds

"Tree Identification Book : A New Method for the Practical Identification and Recognition of Trees" (Paperback)

by George W. Symonds

"Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines: A Guide to Using, Growing, and Propagating North American Woody Plants"

by William Cullina

the symonds' books are very strong possibilities - I think they're just what I'm looking for. I've used petersons guide in the past (wildflowers) and am satisfied, but the symonds' seem to have more to 'em.

Anyone have experience with the Symonds books? love 'em? find them lacking? have alternatives to suggest?

thanks

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Comments (3)

weedwoman
15 years ago
Truthfully, they're the first place I go for trees and shrubs in this area. If you're going to get a Peterson Tree book, get the old one (black and white drawings), not the new one. Truthfully, those are where I go first, if I need more technical info I check Gleason and Cronquist, and then I get on line. There aren't a lot of good shrub ID books around at all.

WW
offplumb
Original Author
15 years ago
thank you weedwoman for responding.

the petersons tree book I saw at barnes and noble (newer version) didn't seem a good fit for me.
lotsa nice color photos of trees and leaves - but they didn't seem to focus on the smaller details -twigs and such. I figure once I get an ID, the fill-in info can easily be found online.
I'm going forward with the symonds books. The Gleason and Cronquist books look fabulous - may have to put those on the wish list.

I'll drink deeply from these for a while and then perhaps be back for some grass, sedge, etc identification book suggestions.

thanks again!
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weedwoman
15 years ago
Now I'm home I can get the details - the Peterson Field Guide I'm referring to is 'A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs' by George A Petrides. It's probably out of print; actually now that I look it's from 1958, I got it second hand, but it's the field guide the Brooklyn Botanic Garden recommended for the volunteers for woody plants on their Metroflora project; it's just black and white drawings and it doesn't look real impressive, but when you start using it the details you need are all there. It's much better than most of the newer ones I've seen. And it has most of the shrubs, too, a big plus. Gleason and Cronquist are way more technical.

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