My favorite tree ID book--and I have many.
357064
I have many books on identifying trees and I return to this book time and again. I have bought this book as a gift for tree lover friends twice. It's method of identifiing is very user friendly. Color picture books are nice, but many times I feel that I need more, this book will give it to you. Great book!
1797207
This is one of the best guides for quick lookup of trees you don't know the name of. They have a series of leaf patterns and are grouped sensibly to make it quick to identify that tree you are curious about. Highly recommended !!
156845
I live on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State and have a longtime interest in edible and medicinal plants, but I've never foraged, for fear of misidentification. This book, though geared to the Eastern US, has much to teach about general wild plant identification, harvesting, and storing. These techniques can be applied anywhere. Of the 32 plants in this book, at least 12 are readily found here, and concerning those 12,  I now feel a new confidence, largely due to Thayer's very THOROUGH descriptions. I'd rather have complete assurance about 12 plants than 50% assurance about 100 plants, so I consider this book a valuable resource.

Like many foraging books, he lists: botanical description, range and habit, and harvesting tips.
Going beyond other books, he gives harvest and preparation advice for all stages of growth, if applicable,  and all parts of the plant.
Going far beyond most other books in this field, his excellent photographs are in color, large enough to see full details, and show each plant in various stages of maturity. Most helpfully, he also shows other plants that are not edible but that look very similar. He also gives simple ways to tell the difference.

There is a very real sense that his knowledge comes from first-hand experience with these plants. To me, this is important. He also has a way of writing about the plants that encourages the exercise of common sense, caution, and respectful conservation, along with enjoyment. After reading his account of thistles, I'm looking forward to sampling some of those that invariably appear in our lawn. For cross-referencing, several books concerning wild plant identification and edibility are a good idea. This book is an excellent place to start, and is definitely one of the most helpful that I've come across.
3310633
This is such a handy and informative way to identify many of the lovely trees and wildflowers we are fortunate enough to enjoy in Virginia. I recommend this guide to nature lovers.
537018
This book has gorgeous photographs of conifers of all sizes in many configurations, nicely complemented with other perennials and shrubs, and shown in different seasons, climates, and light conditions.  He explains how conifers work (which seemed a bit mysterious to me-- growth, cones, etc.), provides useful information on pruning, propagation, growth rates, and his son's beautiful photographs help you picture the overall habit of the plants in relation to others you might want to grow.  He encourages gardeners to experiment with varieties even if they need to be moved or removed entirely in 10 or 20 or 30 years.  And then there is the 85 page guide to some of the best conifers, which provides more gorgeous photos and brief descriptions of habit, growth rates, etc.  This book really helps make conifers seem like a much more usable design element in planning my garden, and makes me more comfortable with experimenting with them.  While I wish there were more photos and/or plans of moderate-sized suburban-type lots that would help disseminate this beauty to the masses, this is a wonderful book as is and a tremendous value too.
1841286
I've read this book from front to back. I read the majority of it while on a camping trip in Yellowstone National Park with my best friend. It was very helpful in identifying many species. I have an associates degree in horticulture and have a passion for tree ID. This book is among the best of the pocket field guides that are available. Color photos and maps of tree locations as well as seed, twig and bark descriptions are great.
2112373
A different review complained about the poor quality of photos -- my copy has perfectly beautiful prints. There must be some poor quality versions out there, which is pretty depressing.

I used this in a class taught by Dr. Tidwell years ago, and I've used it in the years since to help me identify various ferns, cones, and wood. I admit I haven't used it much for fossil ID as I haven't done much fossil hunting since, but it's been helpful reminding me of the differences between various conifers.

There are 90 color prints of fossils, some whole and some microscopic sections. There are 252 b/w photos of all sorts of wood, fossils, cross sections and longitudinal sections. That's in addition to the 479 extremely accurate drawings that illustrate the species discussed in the book, and a key with drawn outlines of various fern leaves, seeds, and other leaves to help you quickly identify a specimen.

Dr. Tidwell had a collection of hundreds of fossils, maybe even thousands, it was astounding. And he always demanded exactness in detail and accuracy, in his class and in the production of his book. I highly recommend this for wood ID, though it focuses on fossils.
1166139
I can't imagine a book of this type where the buyer could get more bang for the buck. Just the beautiful color pictures of each species listed are enough to justify the cost but add in the charts and the quick and easy to reference material and this book is a tool that I would highly recommend to any homeowner.

This is no encyclopedia mind you but more of a reference manual and is basically limited to shade trees. Each page of the "Tree Selection and Growing Guide" section generally contains three types of trees so as you can imagine the information is superficial to say the least. The rest of the book gives hints on what trees grow best in certain situations such as which trees are the best street trees and which tolerate salt spray from the ocean and also gives pruning tips but I would look elsewhere for that information if I were you. One would also do well to look elsewhere for detailed information on each tree for the information provided here will only give you the basics. Also know that the producers of this book are a little conservative on what will grow in which zone so you can probably push the envelope a little. For example they say that Southern Magnolias and Crape Myrtles only grow in zone 7 or above but there are numerous specimens of both growing all around my zone 6 hometown.

The basics of course are what everyone planning to add trees to their landscape need to start with and this is an excellent book for that purpose. The information is clearly laid out in what amounts to a chart form for each tree, which will allow the reader to know in a glance if a certain species of tree is even a candidate for their landscape. By looking at the picture and the information provided one can easily decide if they are at all interested in that particular tree and can then check elsewhere for more in depth information.

I have found this book to be an extremely helpful addition to my library and I have referenced it over and again until it has become dog eared and ragged. I had never even thought of placing a Bald Cypress in my yard since I assumed that they needed swampy ground but with the aid of this book I have a nice healthy specimen growing only a little more than a hundred feet from my house. From my experience you will not likely find a handier guide to shade trees, especially for this price.
1169538
I checked this book out from the library and fell in love with it, so when it came time to return the book I promptly ordered my own copy.

Edlin's writing is clear and easy to understand, and there is a nice section at the start of the book that tells about how to recognize different trees, which ones flower before they leaf and vice versa, and other important details.  I have a small Audubon book with photos and brief descriptions of common trees of America, but though Edlin's book is not much larger it really packs in much more information, and sometimes illustrations can show more than photos. The drawings for each type of tree include different seasons and show detail of things like the buds, flowers, and leaves.

The one drawback of The Tree Key is that if you want information on a very specific tree, you may not be able to find it as he takes one representative of the group (white willow, for instance) as an example and does not give as much information about other types.  But for my purposes - research, learning and enjoyment - I have found this book a real treasure. I am using it as a reference for a novel I am writing which deals with trees.
785622
Pradeep Krishen, a film director and a tree-enthusiast has created an excellent resource for tree lovers and for the curious. In this superbly printed book, he has covered possibly all the known species of trees in Delhi, most of which he has photographed himself. The book has a soft cover, with a cloth backed spine and signature binding. It is just about the right size to carry and use.

He starts the book with some useful background information about Delhi and its botanical history. This section also has basic information about trees in general and explanation of the layout of the book, all done in a rivetingly light manner.

The main book is divided into sections according to type of trees. Here he has used a very simple, layman like classification based on what the leaves look like (Jamun like leaves, Imli like leaves, and so on). Each section gives an overview of the leaves of that particular type, and is followed by the two-page layout common with Dorling Kindersley books. There is a photograph of the tree, and several close-ups of the flowers, leaves, fruits and bark. There is a small key along with a height chart, all of which help you identify the trees so very easily. Then there is a side bar giving information on habitat, range and uses.

And the best part is that he provides a list of common names for each tree, so that you can have an intelligent conversation with the gardener. In fact, he uses the common name in preference over others, which makes the book more interesting for the common reader. He also adds tips on what the tree is commonly confused with. He also gives a guide to the locations where the particular tree can be seen. All in all, there are some 1100 full colour photographs

The third part of the book contains some interesting, though somewhat technical notes about various trees. And of course, there is an extensive index.

Having bought the book sometime ago, I gave the first copy to my elder brother, who introduced me to trees long ago. I bought another copy for myself, and have often used it to enrich my understanding, or to liven up a casual conversation. Once you start using this book, it gives you a second sight - trees which merely looked like a bunch of leaves earlier, acquire a lively history, and become people.

And all thanks to the passion of a solitary individual with a camera, and a passion for trees.

An excellent book for you to cherish if you are interested in trees in Delhi (252 species) or if you want to gift it to friend who lives in Delhi. This edition is available in India only (at a printed price of Rs. 799).

The book has been brought out in cooperation with Delhi Tourism - one wishes that such books would soon be published for other regions as well.
2014981
I bought this direct from the author's website because I wanted a dead tree version.  I'm glad I did because there is so much useful information that taking notes and marking pages is a must!
3484107
Growing up my parents had this book and as a family we used it quite often to help us identify a bug, snake, flower or bird. I've wanted a copy for some time to share with my own children, since my mom still uses hers so frequently, she didn't want to part with hers. There are probably more detailed resources out there but for the variety of species offered in this book, it is hard to pass up owning one of your own.
4461315
This manual contains a wealth of information on the identification, cultural requirements, propragation methods, and place of origin for a wide variety of trees and woody shrubs.  I keep my copy in my car, take it wherever I go, and refer to it on a regular basis.
Yes, it is a thick book.  No, it is not without its own quirks. However, I recommend it highly over any other woody manual available.
I have only one quibble.  I wish Michael Dirr would hurry up and write a similarly in-depth manual on herbaceous plants.
3412715
All of Audobon's books are great because they will fit in a pocket or day-pack.  Nicely organized and includes awesome full color pictures that really help in the identification.  The information on the flowers is very extensive.  A must for anyone who likes flowers and wants to know what kind they have.
1275568
Really comprehensive review of what different woods look like and how to tell them apart. With this in hand you can easily tell one from the other. The photographs are stunning in their clarity, with very full descriptions included regarding rot resistance, workability, grain, pricing and sustainability as well as common uses and historic notes. A superb reference book!
191229
I have an entire shelf of field guides: lots of birding guides (including Kenn Kaufman's), butterfly manuals, reptile books, tree identification handbooks, wildflower references, astronomy books. Some of my books are very detailed and irreplaceable, and some are general overviews that only come in handy once in a while. Most field guides, for instance, either concentrate on the eastern US or the western US, the Mississippi River being the dividing line.

There are two significant strengths of this book:

1. It's comprehensive, bringing together all sorts of flora and fauna information under one cover, as well as sections on geology, astronomy, etc.

2. Its focus is the Midwest. Yes, the boring, flat, unremarkable Midwest--where I happen to live, and which I love to explore.

THIS is the book you need to take with you when you are camping, hiking or just passing through some of our amazing habitats. The illustrations are great. The descriptions are brief but useful, with highlighted field markers or bold-faced information.

Depending on your area of interest, you may want to purchase other books that go into a lot more detail for any of these topics. The breadth of this book is at the expense of depth. But this is an excellent jumping-off point. If you want to know more about wildflowers, or dragonflies, or all the warblers that migrate through the Midwest, then you can get a book that goes into extreme detail on any of those topics. But if you're walking through the woods, or a meadow--or, here in Chicago, one of our great parks--and you wonder what sort of butterfly you just saw, or if this tree is a mulberry, you can easily check that information.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated by the natural world.
4813582
One of my favourite books - beautifully illustrated and entirely functional as a field guide, useful even for European tree lovers. Just as good as his bird guides.