Book Description
Plants for Tropical Landscapes will help you select and group plants to create a successful tropical garden tailored to your needs and tastes. Gardeners and landscapers will find this treasury of more than 500 common plants easy to use and one of the most comprehensive guides available today.
Plants are organized by size (ground covers, low shrubs, medium shrubs, small trees) and are fully illustrated with more than 600 color photographs to aid in their identification. The book presents guidelines on plant characteristics, soil and water requirements, and suggested landscape use for each species. In addition, appendices list plants suitable for special uses (xeriscapes, windbreaks, night gardens) and sites (beach gardens, lanai, and houseplants).
Customer Reviews:
Very good book about Plants in the Caribbean.......2007-09-19
My sister who also lives here in St. Thomas is a big time gardener but could not find anything to expand her knowledge of the horticulture here until I found this for her birthday. She has been very happy with it so I recommend it.
Excellent book for the tropics.......2007-03-10
Although I live in Panama, I found this book excellent in helping me identify plants and trees and their growth characteristics.
Down to earth (pun intended) and comprehensive with great photos on glossy paper.......2006-12-16
Plants for Tropical Landscapes: A Gardener's Guide is just what I was looking for. Being raised in Hawaii, I have seen many of the plants in this book but don't know many of their names or uses. The authors give just the right amount of information to help you choose the right plant for the right location. It will be nice to help choose our plants with the landscapers instead of letting them make all of the decisions. I also really like the layout of the book which starts at ground covers and moves up in size through shrubs and trees, then on to vines, ferns and palms, etc. The pages have colored edge markings that assist in switching from chapter to chapter. Most of the coolest things included are located in the Appendices that should be extremely useful: Native Hawaiian Species; Xeriscape; Beach Garden; Hedges, Screens & Windbreaks; House & Lanai Plants; and the garden at night.
Even if you just want to know what plants are in your yard, you will enjoy this book. I wish I had paid more attention to my Mom when she tried to teach me about plants way back when...
Great Book!.......2006-10-29
This is a wonderful book. We are starting from scratch beginning our landscape at our home and I really did not know a lot about all the different plants available! Wow..it is very inspiring and teaches you a lot too. Also, it is great for reference. I go to it often for information.
Plants for Tropical Landscapes - a Gardener's Guide.......2001-04-21
Plants for Tropical Landscapes addresses everything from ground covers to Palms, Xeriscape to lanais. It contains an impressive number of plants and its simple format makes it a joy to read. The book is clearly organized by the size of the plant, starting from the smallest (ground covers) and working its way up to largest plants in a tropical garden (trees over 50'). Along with beautiful color photographs, the physical characteristics of each plant, light and moisture requirements, preferred soil, wind, drought, and salt tolerance are all given. The authors also suggest practical ways the plants could be used in a tropical setting. This book does not bog the reader down with too many details, but gives everything necessary to plant your tropical garden.
Book Description
Climate change, the need to conserve water, the desire for more exotic and dramatic plants — all of these are prompting gardeners to seek out interesting new plants that thrive in subtropical or dry climates and microclimates. This book offers expert guidance and sensible advice on a wide range of plants — native to California, Florida, Australasia, South America, South Africa, Turkey, and the Mediterranean region — that can be successfully cultivated in many regions of North America and Europe. A general introduction offers advice on choosing and designing with these plants, with particular emphasis on hardiness and overwintering in cooler climates. An A–Z plant directory profiles over 1000 plants, and there are useful lists of plants for different situations.
Customer Reviews:
Let's garden the mediterranean way and more........2007-01-12
In this book you can find a large selection of all purpose plants, for subtropical (Mediterranean in my case) garden, presented in good quality photos. If someone is looking for new plants for his subtropical garden or wants to create its own, this is a good option. The only problem i find, is that the descriptions of the growing tips of each species are quite brief, and sometimes is necessary to search in another placer for more information.
Very Informative.......2006-12-29
This book is fabulous! Martyn has detailed descriptions on cultivation,watering & hardiness. Not to mention the beautiful photographs of over 700 plants. This book is a must for anyone who loves to 'surround oneself with beauty in their garden'
Very good resource.......2006-11-10
Fantastic book--Rix begins the book by summarizing the various subtropical climates and their characteristics. He then lists plants according to a logic that is not hard to follow (e.g. succulents, trees of the fabacae, cool climate orchids, etc). He notes the climatalogical preferences of the plants (e.g. warm wet summer, dry cool winter)--which is very helpful, as well as water and USDA zones (this could be more specific).
He includes some not too obvious genera / species and peppers the book with lusciuos photographs.
For me the merits of the book are: a. its discussion of different sub-tropical climates b. its inclusion of less-than-garden variety / "exotic" species c. its beautiful photography.
The downside is that not more species / cultivars are included--but this is something remedied by a more quotidian companion book (e.g. sunset western garden book).
Book Description
Illustrated with 200 color photos, this book offers practical guidance to gardening with the increasingly popular subtropical and tropical plants. The authors describe and provide cultivation information for a wide selection of plants, including palms, orchids, cacti, and bromeliads.
Book Description
This guide covers more than 400 of the most commonly cultivated ornamental plants found in the tropics, identified and beautifully photographed by an expert in tropical botany.
The color photographs and accurate descriptions make this book ideal for identifying plants grown in the tropics or cultivated in greenhouses in temperate climates. The characteristics of habit, leaves, flowers, and fruit useful for distinguishing one plant from another are emphasized in the descriptions, which also include discussions of plant relationships, the correct scientific and common names, geographical ranges, any poisonous properties, and other useful and interesting information about each plant. In addition, each description includes information on propagation methods and ideal growing conditions, making it useful for gardeners in determining how and where to cultivate the plants.
Customer Reviews:
Not for the novice gardener.......2002-06-08
I was very disappointed with the purchase of this book. Living on a tropical island I am surrounded by most, if not all of the plants in this guide. I was looking for a book to help me identify plants in my surroundings that I see on a day to day basis. While there are colour photographs with each plant description, it was difficult to recognise plants because the photos tended to focus mainly on the flowering part of the plant. This is especially frustrating when one wants to identify a tree or shrub.
The Poinciana, (here it is called Flamboyant) is an unmistakeable tree with flame red floweres and feathery leaves. The photo shows a close detail on the tree's flowers and leaves. I have never actually inspected the floweres of this tree up close, having only seen it's distinctive shape and of course flame red colour in parks and along roadways. Now that I have seen them in this book, I notice that they closely resemble those of a shrub called Barbados Pride! This could lead to confusion with someone who is totally unfamiliar with either plant!
The tree would be easier recognized if a picture of the tree itself was included. There is of course a magnificent photo of a Flamboyant on the back cover but I use this as only an example. No other tree or shrub is featured this way.
In short this book is completely useless to me in identifying plants. Everything looks familiar but I'm left with the feeling that I'm sure I've seen that plant somewhere but I don't know what it is:-(
Tropical Ornamentals A Guide.......2002-02-20
For the serious tropical gardener, this is one book you must not be without.
The "Organization Of Information" section of this book I found to be very boring. I did however, immensely enjoy the rest of the book and would highly suggest it to anyone who grows a large majority of tropical plants.
Some of the plants mentioned in the book such as Albizia Lebbeck, I had been unable to find any information on previously. I was quite surprised at the large number of plants mentioned that were not common. There were also some plants they touched on that I was completely unfamiliar with. I thought this was great!
There are color photographs with each plant description and sometimes there is more than one photo showing various varieties of the plant. This is a real plus if you grow most everything from seeds or cuttings and have never seen these plants. There is a total of 458 photographs.
Although each plant only receives a small section, the descriptions do include information such as flowers or fruit, propagation, leaves and plant type. It also gives the common name of the plant and the index allows you to reference each plant by scientific name or common name.
Overall, I found it a highly useful book that will be one of the most used books I have. That's a very high compliment!
The only thing that might have been made it better was to move the explanation section to the back!
I cannot emphasize enough that this is one book you must have on your reference shelf!
A "must read" for tropical plant growers.......2000-09-13
This book should be a "must read" for anyone wanting to grow tropical plants.
This was the most comprehensive book about the tropical plants that I have read. It truly covered most of the tropicals that I wanted to look up. Most impressive.Very systematic. Had good information on flowering periods and propagation techniques. More details on growing these plants could enhance this book even more. All in all a very good addition to my tropical plants collection.
Book Description
•Introduces more than 60 different plant species found in Asia
•Included are exotic and beautiful blooms
Book Description
This book bridges a long-standing gap between obscure references in tropical botany and the gardener's need for an accurate, practical guide with clear photographs. Incorporating the latest advances in plant taxonomy from the definitive text of Dr. Walter Judd, the book is a rare work of scrupulous research — and magnificent photography — that will be as useful to the gardener as it is to the botanist. Kirsten Llamas exhaustively documents more than 1400 flowering trees, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants commonly grown in tropical and subtropical gardens. She provides thorough information on cultivation for each plant, including growth characteristics, light exposure, cold hardiness, invasive tendencies, and unique horticultural features. More than 1500 color photos of magnificent flowering specimens make this book as much a pleasure to browse as it is a resource for research. Sure to appeal to gardeners, landscapers, nurseries, collectors, botany students, florists, and botanical gardens, Tropical Flowering Plants promises to be a staple reference for decades to come.
Customer Reviews:
A solid guide to tropical flowering plants.......2007-08-28
This is a very good book for gardeners who live in a tropical climate, especially those who would like to grow plants that are not ordinarily found in big box plant nurseries.
Cultivation requirements of listed plants are clear and concise, and include warnings as to invasiveness, toxicity of plant materials, and any unusual quirks.
There is also a list of invasive plants, and those that are considered endangered or rare.
I enjoy just sitting and reading through it, each time picking out another plant I would like to have, as if it was a catalog.
Perhaps the most gratifying reference-book of its type.......2007-07-20
This excellent book is not without a few faults--some of which have been brought up in other reviews--but overall this packs a huge amount of information in a beautifully presented volume with gorgeous photography and well-written text. Yes, it's more valuable to the horticulturally-oriented, since it is organized by family rather than genus, and this does limit its easy use to the more studied reader. But nevertheless it is very satisfying to the browser who is unaware of either potential organizational scheme.
Perhaps because Ms. Llamas is South Florida-based, the zone information is sometimes less than accurate, especially as regards tropicals that perform as frost-tender or half-hardy perennials in subtropical areas such as the Gulf States; she doesn't award zone-designations on the a/b half-zone system, a very useful tool in determining hardiness of tropical and subtropical plants; nor is their differentiation between climate adaptations in California or the Desert Southwest as opposed to the humid south/southeast, or truly tropical areas. Nevertheless the zone information is better than in the majority of texts, and in fact it is probably the only successful book I can think of that combines beautiful images, well-written and concise language with at least basic cultivation info, and current scientific nomenclature. She also includes some taxonomical details that really can help identify one plant in comparison to another related species. And here also, the family-grouping scheme is very helpful in comparing related plants, and serves as a valuable learning-tool for budding gardeners, horticulturists and landscape designers/architects.
There's room for improvement: perhaps a two-volume expansion is in order. But I think few will be disappointed with this. Certainly for South Florida there is no finer and more usable book on the subject. And it likely will introduce even seasoned tropical-growers to many new and exciting plants.
Tropical Plants.......2007-01-05
Very comprehensive. Species are grouped by families. Lots of excellent photos. Have bought over 10 books for friends after they saw mine. Highly recommended for anyone interested in tropical plants.
Excellent book, but not for a novice.......2006-07-09
Previous reviews hit this book on the head. If you are a novice gardener with little horticultural (with botanical) background or experience, you may find the pictures interesting, but certainly the format, layout and information unfulfilling.
However, if you live in Zones 9, 10 or 11, and grow many tropical plants outdoors (beyond the cliche' houseplants know in temperate regions), this book will help you familiarize yourself with plants you will encounter in outdoor landscapes in southern coastal Texas and southern and central FLorida, Puerto Rico, across the Caribbean and to some relevancy, Hawaii.
The book will keep you abreast of last taxonomic names and yes, groupings into plant families.
There is cultural information pertinent to each plants' OUTDOOR landscape use, providing a solid foundation of culture for the plant genus, then any specific information within the genus the differences between, say, light exposures, pH tolerances, soil preferences among species.
A must have reference for serious sub-tropical gardeners and even some professionals (I have seen Northern conservatories with very poor or outright incorrect labeling of tropicals) for ID and legitimate (Fairchild Tropical Garden and other so. FL expert testimonials) information. The ubiquitous reference books EXOTICA and HORTUS 3 fail to describe many of the plants in this book, and this book provides current (yes, 21st Century) taxonomic namings.
One of the most helpful horticultural books I own........2006-03-20
A friend and I saw this book while on a field trip for our National Wildlife Steward training. The price was heartstopping, but we were so impressed by the potential information, and the fact that the author was a South Floridian, that we both purchased a copy. Since then, it has been of great value to me when our Landscape Committee needs to know the botanical name and information for many of the exotic (and native) plants coming into our community. The book is a good starting place to research the cultural information we need to insure our "Right Plant, Right Place" philosophy.
Book Description
Previously illustrated with black and white photographs, this reference now provides professionals with a colorful guide to the production of commercial foliage crops. Featuring updated and expanded information, including cultural changes, new technological advances, and eight new foliage crops, the guide now covers more than 70 species of foliage appropriate to commercial environments—anthuriums, bromeliads, ferns, bamboos, birds-of-paradise, and African violets. In addition to exploring each plant’s natural habitat, varieties, and propagation, this reference also counsels growers on uses, nutrition, pests, disorders, interior care, and the most common problems affecting these types of foliage. Tables also list leaf analysis rating standards for nutrients for many of the crops discussed.
Customer Reviews:
Best Houseplant Book Available.......2003-07-18
Books on houseplants normally give a nice picture a short description of the plant with some cultural hints. I've always been disappointed with the limited information available on these common plants. In my opinion, lack of proper information is why so many people think they have a "brown thumb." Recently, while scanning through the Ball Publishing Catalog, I discovered a wonderful book on houseplants.
Lynn P. Griffith, Jr. Tropical Foliage Plants: A Grower's Guide. Ball Publishing. 1998.
Lynn Griffith, the author, is President of the A&L Southern Agricultural Laboratories, Inc. that does agricultural testing and consulting work for clients in Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean. He has written many articles for technical journals about growing plants based on his trial and error learning and results of the testing he does for clients. This book pulls together his knowledge on the most common foliage plants.
Tropical Foliage Plants: A Grower's Guide is actually written for the grower producing foliage plants for local greenhouses, florist shops, and other stores. Since it is written in easy to understand language, it is also suitable for the hobbyist grower. Griffith provides information on habitat (where the plant originated), uses, varieties, propagation, culture, nutrition, diseases, insect and mite pests, disorders, tricks, and interior care of each plant covered.
The book is organized using the scientific name with the common name given also in the titles. Here is a complete list of the plants discussed:
Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen)
Anthurium
Aphelandra (Zebra plant)
Aralia/Polyscias
Araucaria (Norfolk Island pine)
Asparagus
Bromeliads: Aechmea, Billbergia, Guzmania, Neoregelia, Nidularium, Tillandsia, Vriesa
Caladium
Calathea
Chamaedorea (Parlor/Bamboo Palms)
Chlorophytum (Spider plants)
Chrysalidocarpus (Areca palms)
Cissus (Grape Ivy)
Codiaeum (Croton)
Cordelier (Ti plant)
Dieffenbachia (Dumb cane)
Dizygotheca (False Aralia)
Dracaena deremensis (Janet Craig, Warneckii)
Dracaena fragrans (Corn plant)
Dracaena marginata (Dragon tree)
Epipremnum (Pothos)
Fatsia
Ferns: Adiantum, Asplenium, Davallia, Nephrolepis, Platycerium, Pteris
Ficus benjamina and Ficus retusa (weeping figs)
Ficus lyrata (Fiddle-leaf fig), Ficus elastica (Rubber plant), Ficus maclellandii (Alii)
Gardenia
Hedera (English ivy)
Heliconia
Hibiscus
Howea (Kentia palm)
Maranta (prayer plant)
Peperomia
Philodendron
Phoenix (Date palm)
Ravenea (Majesty palm)
Rhapis (Lady Palm)
Schefflera actinophylla (Umbrella tree)
Schefflera arboricola (Dwarf Schefflera)
Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily)
Succulents: Beaucarnea, Crassula, Euphorbia, Hoya, Sansevieria
Succulents: Cacti
Sygonium (Nephthytis)
Yucca
Other foliage varieties: Acalypha (Copper leaf and Chenille plants), Aeschynanthus (Lipstick plant), Ardisia, Aspidistra (Cast iron plant), Bambusa (Bamboo), Begonia, Caryota (Fishtail palm), Fittonia (Nerve plant), Homalomena (Emerald Gem), Pilea, Plectranthus (Swedish ivy), Radermachera (China doll), Saintpaulia (African Violet), Sinningia (Gloxinia), Strelitzia (Bird of paradise, Tolmiea (Piggyback plant), Zebrina (Wandering Jew).
Strengths
Information is presented in an easy-to-read and well organized format. If necessary, the information is presented in two ways. Example: Temperature is expressed both in Fahrenheit and Centigrade.
Growers will find the technical information needed to grow these plants in a greenhouse setting.
A photographic section shows common problems.
Information is presented on using the plants in interior settings so the hobbyist has enough information to grow them well. This includes giving fertilizer information in terms of "teaspoons per gallon" and light levels needed expressed as foot candles and klux.
References for each plant are included so the grower or hobbyist will have an easier time finding additional information.
Weaknesses
Colored pictures for each plant would eliminate the need of looking up the plant in other identification books.
This book would be even more valuable to the hobbyist grower if a page of abbreviations and their meaning had been provided.
I strongly feel the plants listed under Other Foliage Varieties should have been given more attention. These plants are common in my local florist shops and garden centers.
General Comments
This book will remain on my bookshelves for as long as I grow houseplants! I learned why my effort at growing so many foliage plants has left me less than satisfied with the results. I didn't realize how many plants were sensitive to fluoride in the water or that they were sensitive to alkaline water. As a result of reading this book, I will either select different plant species to grow inside or I will invest in a distilling system. I also learned that most common houseplants need an acidic (low Ph) potting media. Since my local water is very alkaline, all my plants wind up in media with a high Ph. This is something else I must address in order to do my best at growing many common foliage plants.
Those houseplant lovers who collect all the plant species possible will find this book an absolute necessity. It will be one of your most used houseplant books.
Book Description
Complete with illustrated, step-by-step photos on integrating tropical plants into the home landscape, planting, propagation, pruning, irrigation, and other care, plus tips on growing fruits and vegetables in the tropical garden, orchid care, and gardening in small spaces, this volume contains the expert advice of horticulturists from around the country. 350+ photos, 300 in color.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book For Tropical Lovers!.......1998-10-28
This is the kind of book everyone needs that is trying to grow a tropical looking garden in cool or hot climates. I hope the publisher reprints this book soon.
Average customer rating:
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Exotic Plants
Julia Frances Morton
Manufacturer: Goldencraft
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Flowers
| Plants
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Flowers
| Field Guides
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0307643433 |
Average customer rating:
|
The Overlook Guide to Growing Rare and Exotic Plants
Raymond Foster
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Flowers
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Ornamental Plants
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0879519681 |
Customer Reviews:
From The Inside Flap:.......2005-10-23
As the interest in gardening grows every year, so does the desire to grow beautiful, but previously umfamiliar plants and flowers. Many North American gardeners dream of picking passion fruits and gathering ladyslipper orchids from their backyard gardens; Raymond Foster shows how those dreams can come to life. This practical guide is the first illustrated how-to book for those who want to grow more than daisies and chrysanthemums.
Given the right information, amateur gardeners can create the delicate environments needed by rare wildflowers and tropical plants to thrive in seemingly unsuitable climates. The author describes the wide variety of exotic flora which can easily be grown in the garden and cool greenhouse. His selection includes blubs and herbs, climbers and sprawlers, fruit, shrubs, and trees, and ranges from wild ginger and birds of paradise to jasmine, figs, and papayas.
This highly readable guide contains sound advice on soil preparation, propagation, pruning, and on techniques that stimulate the extreme habitats required by the more intriguing plants, such as the "living stones" of the African desert.
As the jungles and woodlands of the world begin to disappear, the survival of these fragile plants and flowers will depend on the adventurous gardener. With the help of these simple and clear instructions, gardeners can pursue the cultivation of Edens - they can grow mangoes among their apple trees, African trumpet lilies alongside their roses, and mistletoe on their atbors.
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- Pots in the Garden: Expert Design and Planting
- Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements ... A-To-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies)
- Red Lily (In the Garden, Book 3)
- Reflections of Kauai: The Garden Island
- Rotary Magic: Easy Techniques to Instantly Improve Every Quilt You Make (Rodale Home and Garden Books)
- Searching for God Knows What
- sifting through the madness for the word, the line, the way: New Poems
- Square Foot Gardening: A New Way to Garden in Less Space with Less Work
- Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web
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