Recommended Book

**your_comforting_company** · 08-17-2010, 06:28 AM

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Nat...RI=wildflowers

So my mom picked up this book, and wanted to go with me on a "wildflower adventure" this weekend. We had a great time enjoying nature, looking at the small things most folks just ride by and never notice.

The key is organized by color, making it quick to find the right key for the flower you are examining, but the book itself is organized by family, so that if you can throw it into a family, you can flip through pictures of those plants.

Of all the books I own, and know how to use, this one excells at speed! With very little prior experience, my mom was able to identify all but one of the plants we looked at, most of which were not species specific in any of my books.

It contains over 2200 pictures and descriptions of plants of North America. The downside is that it does NOT include edibility information, although it DOES contain toxicity information on the deadliest plants.

Although I've only used it for one day, I will be getting myself a copy of this book for less than $15 very soon, because I was so impressed with the ease of use and format. It is less than half price of my "Weeds" book, less than the Peterson guides, and more complete than all my books put together, sans edibility information.

For anyone beginning to identify plants, I recommend this as the starter guide, and suggest you supplement it with the other guides that DO include edibility / medicinal information and preparations. Keep a journal of identified plants and look them up online when you get back home.

I was so impressed, I just had to post a small review of it. Thanks for reading!

**BENESSE** · 08-17-2010, 07:25 AM

Thanks YCC. I just ordered it.
If you're impressed, then that's all I need to know.

**rwc1969** · 08-17-2010, 05:11 PM

I'll have to check it out. I hate trying to thumb thru Peterson's to find anything.

**Justin Case** · 08-17-2010, 10:06 PM

Y'all may find this site interesting, be sure to scroll down to the catalog and sites section .
http://www.carnegielibrary.org/resea.../wildlife.html

**your_comforting_company** · 09-02-2010, 12:55 AM

My copy of this book came today. The descriptions are brief but point out the outstanding features of each plant. It maintains the family organization. They are then ordered by common features. Where plant parts are "odd" or need elaboration, it has diagrams and line drawings.

Be sure to read the foreword and introduction. Using the book is simple enough. If you already know the features of a family, you can thumb through just those, or if you are just starting out, the color keys will get you to the right area fast. I keyed a couple that I already knew, just to see if they were there and how long it took to get to them. I'll post a review when I've had more time in the field with it. So far it's really straightforward. Even Chris' mystery plant was in there!

You don't have to be into wild edibles to appreciate pretty flowers. If you enjoy being outdoors and ever thought "That's a cool looking flower", you can probably find it's name in here. Personally I find it fascinating.. It's like discovering the world around me all over again.

And it's backed by some highly respected people in the career field. Attention was paid to accuracy and detail.

I really appreciate the fact that the book is not littered with edibility/medicinal information and recipes. FIRST you identify the plant, THEN research it's edibility, recipes, harvest times, etc. If you are new to wild edibles, this is your reminder of the proper order for foraging.

**mdoutdoorsmen** · 09-10-2010, 12:25 PM

Can anyone suggest a good book for edibal and medical plants

**your_comforting_company** · 09-10-2010, 04:21 PM

If you are new to plant identification, I suggest getting a wildflowers book instead. The foraging for food and medicine comes much later.
I used to recommend the peterson guides, but lately, I'm growing less fond of them.
this might be a better alternative, but I do not own one.. only thumbed through it.
http://www.amazon.com/Edible-Wild-Pl...149877&sr=8-38

Your books need to be more specific to your area, if possible.

I would recommend anything by Samuel Thayer, and Thomas Elpel for the budding botanist (pun intended)