Designing with Succulents

Book Description

Succulent plants offer dazzling possibilities for garden design and require only minimal maintenance to remain lush and alluring year round. Featuring the work of more than 50 professional garden designers and creative homeowners, this complete design compendium is as practical as it is inspirational. Lavishly illustrated with over 300 photographs, it gives design and cultivation basics for paths, borders, slopes, and containers; hundreds of succulent plant recommendations; and descriptions of 90 easy-care, drought-tolerant companion plants. Beginners and experienced designers, landscapers, and collectors alike will find what they need to visualize, create, and nurture the three-dimensional work of art that is the succulent garden.

Customer Reviews:

informative.......2007-09-20

As a newcomer to succulents, I found this volume to be full of beautiful photos and wonderful information. It is a joy to peruse during a lull or sad moment. I had no idea how vast the subject is...........Debra Lee Baldwin has earned earned her prized reputation.

Just what I needed.......2007-09-18

Want to reduce water use in the garden and had no idea where to start with succulents. This is a great balance of practical and inspirational (pretty pictures).

Just in time.......2007-09-09

Hello Debra,

I am writing to tell you how much I love your book! I moved to
Carefree, AZ
two years ago from the San Francisco Bay Area (where I did garden
design and
everything grew) and have immersed myself in the study of all things
desert.
Your book is beautiful and informative and a breath of fresh air in
landscape design.

Thank you, thank you!
Erin

Great Book!.......2007-09-03

This book provides stunning photo's of some of the most beautiful landscape design work with succulents I have seen. As an owner of a retail shop selling pots for the garden, I leave it on my counter for my customers to refer to for ideas. Good, good stuff.

Wonderful resource for the Southwest gardener.......2007-08-24

This is an outstanding resource for gardeners of the Southwest and in particular Southern California. Excellent photos and very informative text. Provides numerous intriguing examples of what you can do especially if you are seeking to save water and reduce irrigation. What is surprising is all the wonderful variety and amazing color succulents provide year around.

Average customer rating:

A must have for cactus collectors
I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD ABOUT THIS WORK
Simply the Best
Excellent reference for those avid in the hobby of cacti
Outstanding Reference Source!

The Cactus Family
Edward F. Anderson
Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Succulents: The Illustrated Dictionary
Agaves, Yuccas, and Related Plants: A Gardener's Guide
Cacti: The Illustrated Dictionary
Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents
Cactus: The most beautiful varieties and how to keep them healthy

ASIN: 0881924989

Book Description

Only now, at the beginning of the new millennium, is there an up-to-date, comprehensive study of the cactus family. This long-awaited, monumental work covers the Cactaceae in an encyclopedic manner, addressing 125 genera and 1810 species. The most comprehensive single resource on the subject available today, it includes more than 1000 color photographs in addition to other illustrations. The introduction to each genus concentrates on the discovery of the cacti, and the improvements in our understanding of them, many of which result from relatively recent investigation. As stated in the foreword, "Cacti have a special fascination all their own. Miniature spiny dwarf cacti less than an inch in diameter are hidden in the arid regions of North and South America; the majestic columns of the giant saguaro, Carnegiea gigantea, dominate the deserts of Arizona. Yet all these cacti, given time, offer the surprising paradox of brilliant flowers, their delicacy a striking contrast to the strong spines that keep the viewer at a respectful distance." This remarkable diversity is fully described and illustrated in this authoritative encyclopedia, which is both scientifically accurate and readable. It also includes a chapter by Roger Brown on the cultivation of cacti, making the book even more useful to growers and hobbyists, as well as to taxonomists, ethnobotanists, and conservationists — indeed, anyone interested in succulent plants.

Customer Reviews:

A must have for cactus collectors.......2007-07-24

This is considered the 'Bible' for cactus collectors and researchers alike. Well worth the money for the information and photos.

I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD ABOUT THIS WORK.......2006-08-01

I can start with the old line "I I had only one book on cacti....." Well, this would certainly be the one. I spend a great amount of time traveling and photographing flowering and interesting plants, cactus being among them. I also collect this type of plant. I have found this work to be almost absolutely necessary for identification purposes and it certainly enhances by hobby of collecting and attempting to raise. As one reviewer points out, this is not a simple book of pretty plants. This is the real thing. There is absolutely a wealth of information here. I never travel area where cacti grow without it. The text is quite readable. There are indeed many, many wonderful color plates. It makes by hobby much more interesting and enjoyable. Recommend this one highly.

Simply the Best.......2004-10-28

Where do you start with a book of this magnitude? (well I had to borrow a review copy from an editor friend of mine, unfortunately he wanted it back). The author a Senior Research Botanist spent most of his lifetime amassing the information that forms this book and then sadly died only two weeks after publication. This is a book for the serious hobbyist. If you are looking for nice photographs of plants in pots, this is probably not the book for you. Having said that there are enough photographs in this book to satisfy even the most avid plant spotter (1016 colour plates.) "Is this plant an Acanthocalycium or an Echinopsis?" This book will give you the answer. In one form or another the book covers most of the Cactaceae family. It is certainly one of the first books to use the nomenclature of the IOS Consensus group. This is a big book 776 pages, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested" Francis Bacon 1561-1625. This book certainly falls into the latter category and it is a great shame that the author is not with us to take the acclaim he surely deserved, but what a legacy he has left. I would love to own this book and it will be one of the first things I order from Amazon after I've sorted everyone elses Christmas presents out.

Excellent reference for those avid in the hobby of cacti.......2004-08-31

This book is a comprehensive reference of cacti. It contains desciptions of most all the species within each genus. It also has a fairly a good section in the front of the book about the origins and botany of cacti. There are pictures for about half of the listings, though because this is more of reference books they are relatively small. Also very helpful, each listing has the previous or other accepted botanical names for each species.

Outstanding Reference Source!.......2003-12-19

Between 1919 and 1923, a landmark publication in four volumes, The Cactaceae, was published by the Carnegie Institution. It remains a landmark publication in the world's literature on cacti. Edward F. Anderson has produced a massive one volume encyclopedic work, which expands and extends the work of Carnegie Institution. This marvelous resource has been well worth waiting for as it is based on Anderson's forty-five years of research on cacti.

The unique attributes of cacti are discussed in five chapters. Cacti occur naturally and are native to what is called "The New World." Only one species of native cacti is found in tropical Africa. In all other countries of the world where cacti are present, their existence is owed to the early explorers who carried cacti back to Europe on their ships and to birds that dispersed cactus seeds throughout the world.

Cacti as food, both for humans and animals, is addressed along with the medicinal uses of cacti. Cacti have long been used for ceremonial and religious purposes by indigenous peoples of the New World and as a source of dyes, especially the beautiful red cochineal dye. A chapter on cacti cultivation has been contributed by Roger Brown. For those interested in growing cacti in their homes and gardens, Brown's advice on containers, potting and repotting, air circulation and ventilation, pests, pesticides, and propagation is a valuable bonus to this specialized encyclopedia.

Pages 105 through 681 contain over 1,000 stunning color photographs (many photographed by Anderson), which are overwhelming in their portrayal of both the beauty and the idiosyncratic nature of cacti. Examples of the photographic artistry found within these glossy pages range from close-up snapshots of cactus flowers and large photographs of intriguing oddities. It will be difficult for cacti enthusiasts to wean themselves from this prodigious book, which weighs almost ten pounds.

Book Description

This dictionary concentrates on the globular cacti, particularly Mammillaria, but includes some popular columnar cactus forms such as Echinocereus.

Customer Reviews:

Informative and helpful.......2007-05-23

I have really enjoyed looking at all the different plants in this book. It has helped me identify plants I already owned as well as add to my wish list of exotic plants I want to add to my collection.

Necessary for the New Collector.......2007-01-31

People that have an extensive collection of cacti reference material either don't need this book or, likely, already have it! I use this book in conjuction with other reference books to help me identify the many different species. I would recommend it to anyone.

CACTI: THE ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY.......2005-09-25

SUPERB COMPACT REVIEW OF A VERY BROAD SPECTRUM OF CACTI TO HELP ANY SERIOUS AFFICIONADO OF THESE CRITTERS. ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED, GOOD PICTURES OF EACH BASIC GROUP WITH CLEAR CONCISE DESCRIPTIONS. I WOULD SAY THIS IS A MUST IN THE LIBRARY OF ANY CACTUS LOVER.

in a few words.......2005-08-25

Very beautiful book, with as much colorfull pictures as you wish. The title should be "dictionary of globular cacti", because only such species are presented.

Family Album, but who is missing.......2004-10-28

It is very difficult to find fault in a book that is so comprehensive in what it sets out to achieve, and I have no wish to do so. However I would like to point out to potential purchasers, if your interest lies in columnar cacti (Cereus, Cleistocactus, Pilosocereus, I know I could go on forever), or anthing from the Opuntia genus, you will be disappointed because they are not included in the book. Of course many other species are not included but this would be virtually impossible to achieve. There is a very good selection of species for all of the more popular genera, many in flower, which obviously aids in the identification process. As a plant identifier this book would be very difficult to beat. Plant care is virtually non existent, but this is not what the book is about. Under most photographs you will get details of the distribution of the plant; flower colour; spination and some of the different synonyms the plant may be labelled under. if you have any serious interest in Cacti you need this book.

Average customer rating:

care for your cacti/succulents with a base of knowledge
GREAT ADDITION TO MY LIBRARY
Not Complete but still Very Good
Not the "Complete" Book without Yuccas!
Excellent reference, not just for beginners

Complete Book of Cacti and Succulents
Terry Hewitt
Manufacturer: Dorling Kindersley Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Ornamental Plants | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Cactus: The most beautiful varieties and how to keep them healthy
Cacti and Succulents (101 Essential Tips)
Succulents: The Illustrated Dictionary
The Complete Guide to Growing Cacti & Succulents
Simon & Schuster's Guide to Cacti and Succulents: An Easy-to-Use Field Guide With More Than 350 Full-Color Photographs and Illustrations

ASIN: 1564583376

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.

Customer Reviews:

care for your cacti/succulents with a base of knowledge.......2007-07-23

I've read this book from cover to cover a number of times, always exposing more useful information. Particularly of interest are the many excellent photographs, which help us longtime cactus fans who've bought various cacti through the years without knowing what we've bought, or purchasing packets of mixed seeds, stand a chance of identifying these plants. Even in the photos that suggest planting possibilities, the plants are identified. Perhaps the most useful suggestion is the purchase of an inexpensive moisture meter (I picked one up at a ubiquitous discount chain for less than $5 that is a marvel of invention), which showed me that my watering habits needed rethinking. The book is printed on heavy stock, loaded with luscious photographs and details concerning the needs of any particular group of cacti/succulents - yes, there are omissions - the book covers; also there are planting tips, information on growing medium, fertilizing, etc.. Overall, this is a very worthwhile and valuable book for the cactii/succulent enthusiast.

GREAT ADDITION TO MY LIBRARY.......2006-09-24

I've been collecting these wonderful plants for a number of years now and am constantly adding not only plants to my collection, but books. I am glad I added this one! No one book can completely cover every aspect of cacti lore and this one certainly does not, But, this work, added with several others, help to round my research library out. Each new addition, i.e. books, helps and this was certainly a good addition. The text is well done as the author is abviously very knowledgeable and I did like the photographs. I did agree with another reviewer in that the shots from the top of the plant, looking down are indeed pleasing to the eye, but they fail, in some cases, to give a true picture of the plant. I photograph plants and find it is helpful to get side views of different subjects. That is not big deal though. This is a helpful book and I do recommend it highly.

Not Complete but still Very Good.......2004-10-27

The book is very well produced and the photography is very good. The author is well known and respected in Cacti circles and the book reflects his knowledge and status. The first section relates to the history and discovery of cacti and shows some amazing photographs of cacti in their habitat. It goes on to show how best to display your cacti in suitable containers and then a chapter on the differing shapes of the plants and their flowers The plant catalogue itself does not show too many of the different genera, but the popular ones are there and what it does do is show photographs of a number of species within a certain genera and this appeals to me. Too many books try to over-reach themselves and try to cram in as many genera as possible, showing a photograph of one species and very short descriptions of one or two other species. In this book the descriptions of each plant give the average height, flower colour etc. and also the min. temp. each plant will stand. The book shares space equally between true cacti and succulents and they are presented separately which makes the book layout clean and easily readable. At the end of the book are several pages on plant selection in sections, i.e. Plants for beginners; Plants for the Greenhouse; Free Flowering plants etc. This is another plus. One criticism I have is that many of the plants are photographed from directly overhead, this may be aesthetically pleasing, but does not give a true reflection of the size and shape of the plant and is not really my cup of tea. But this is a small moan about what is otherwise an excellent book. At this price the book is a good buy and there is something for everyone interested in the care of these unusual plants. I am happy to have this book in my collection.

Not the "Complete" Book without Yuccas!.......2003-09-29

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.......2003-02-14

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.

500 Cacti: Species and Varieties in Cultivation
Average customer rating:

A VERY HANDY BOOK TO HAVE AROUND.

500 Cacti: Species and Varieties in Cultivation
Ken Preston-Mafham
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Cacti & Succulents | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Cacti and Succulents: An Illustrated Guide to the Plants and their Cultivation (Crowood Aviation S.)

Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents

Cacti: The Illustrated Dictionary

Crazy About Cacti and Succulents (Brooklyn Botanic Garden All-Region Guide)

Designing with Succulents

ASIN: 1554072611

Book Description

A visual reference to 500 cacti.

The cactus family includes more than 2,500 species of cacti, succulents, caudiciforms and euphorbs. Native to the Americas, they are at least 50 million years old and highly advanced in their evolution. Not all are desert plants. Some are found in the rainforest, where they enjoy the heavy rainfall and grow much more vigorously than their desert cousins. Many cacti are very popular with rock gardeners and houseplant enthusiasts.

This new book features 500 species representing all cactus groups. The cacti are arranged alphabetically by scientific genus, with an entire page devoted to each species. At-a-glance information includes size, distribution, spination, flower and flowering time, plus varieties and synonyms used. Detailed descriptions reveal the amazing adaptations cacti have made, such as:

Stems with waterproof skin to store water
Far-reaching, shallow root systems
Leaves that are shed during a drought
Spines toward off predators.

The author provides professional advice on growing these plants at home. Among the 500 color photographs that appear in the book are stunning shots of cacti in bloom.

500 Cacti is a useful reference for all who admire these long-living and distinctive plants.

Customer Reviews:

A VERY HANDY BOOK TO HAVE AROUND........2007-06-09

This is quite an impressive little book. As the title tells us, it addresses 500 cacti. Now no book can cover them all. There are thousands of cacti genus out there. This work though goes along way in giving good information to the amature collector, grower, or in my case, photographer of these wonderful plants. The book is set up alphabetically by genus, but the wonderful photographs are just as valuable indentification. The book is filled with good growing and collecting tips. It is set up more like a field guide than a gardening book, something I find quite useful. The photographs are of good quality and when ever possible, show the plant in bloom. This is certainly one you will want to add to your collection.

The World of Cactus & Succulents (Ortho Books)

Average customer rating:

A Good Book for Starters!

The World of Cactus & Succulents (Ortho Books)
Ortho Books
Manufacturer: Ortho
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Simon & Schuster's Guide to Cacti and Succulents: An Easy-to-Use Field Guide With More Than 350 Full-Color Photographs and Illustrations
Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents
Cactus and Succulents
Cacti and Succulents (101 Essential Tips)
Cactus and Succulents: Simple Secrets for Glorious Gardens -- Indoors and Out (Garden Style Book)

ASIN: 0917102592

Book Description

A succulent collection decorates an outdoor patio during the warm season. When the weather cools it's simple to relocate the collection indoors. With clear photographs that beautifully exemplify what a collection can look like, as well as designs for unusual containers and accessories, this is your complete guide to growing and caring for these stunning plants.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Book for Starters!.......1999-08-19

This book is an excellent book for people who are just starting their collection of Succulents and Cacti. It starts off with the basics of succulents, discusses care and setting up your garden. It also has a fairly good index to succulents. The photos are not the greatest, and sometimes they don't focus on the plant, but the flowers. However, the information they give on each plant is valuable, as well as gives several recommended species. An added bonus is the common name index at the end. This I found to be the most helpful since most people use common names. A lot of the other index books don't have common names listed. All in all, this is a good book. It's a bit dated in the pictures, but I found it a good start. I am purchasing another book now for more extensive index to succulents.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful job
A beautiful book which will provide joy and utility.
Good to look at but flawed in content.

Cacti & Succulents
Hans Hecht
Manufacturer: Sterling Pub Co Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fruit | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents

ASIN: 0806905492

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful job.......2001-05-28

This book gives a comprehensive overview of the more important species of cacti and succulents. The photographs are beautiful and the information content is superb. For cacti and succulent lovers/keepers, the author gives very helpful advice on their care and maintenance. In addition, he gives a short discussion at the beginning on the evolution of cacti and succulents. The myriads of different shapes taken on by these plants are a constant source of amazement, for they can be highly symmetric as well as twisted and deformed. The photographs in the book are a marvelous example of this variety.

A short dictionary of terms is inserted at the beginning of the book for the beginner who is approaching cacti for the first time. The botanical names are given for each entry and the author gives recommendations on the cacti that bloom the easiest. A section on propagation and grafting is also included in the book.

A very delightful book on a class of plants that are intriguing in every way.

A beautiful book which will provide joy and utility........1999-04-16

This book is beautifully illustrated, and contains a wealth of useful information to those learning to grow cacti. Mr. Hecht's minimum temperatures run well above what I think are correct, but safety is good idea for the novice. I highly recommend this book.

Good to look at but flawed in content........1998-07-09

Although a well-organized and generally informative book, I believe it suffered greatly in its translation from German to English. I found the tips on cultivation to be thoroughly confusing, with many ambiguous terms such as "airy" and "under glass" and significant amounts of inconsistent information. My preference is to see familiar phrases such as "bright, indirect light" or "partial shade" used to describe growth requirements, instead of"..sunny, not in the full sun; if need be, in half-shade." This would have helped ease part of my quandary and made it easier to understand exactly what the author intended. The best features of this book were the numerous and excellant pictures of the various genera of cacti and succulents, and the inclusion of tables describing the characteristics of species that were not pictured. However, if a beginner wants to buy only one reference guide on cacti and succulents I wouldn't recommend this one, there are better books available for about the same price.

Cactus: The most beautiful varieties and how to keep them healthy

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous and informative
A VERY HELPFUL BOOK
To the author 'beautiful'=flowers
The best book available for home cactus enthusiasts!
My First Book Ever on Cactus Care.

Cactus: The most beautiful varieties and how to keep them healthy
Elizabeth Manke
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Ornamental Plants | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Reference | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents
Simon & Schuster's Guide to Cacti and Succulents: An Easy-to-Use Field Guide With More Than 350 Full-Color Photographs and Illustrations
Cacti and Succulents (101 Essential Tips)
The Complete Guide to Growing Cacti & Succulents
Cacti: The Illustrated Dictionary

ASIN: 0764112260

Book Description

Prickly and frequently taking strange shapes, cacti often thrive when given minimal care—and sometimes languish when owners "nurse them to death." This handsomely illustrated book introduces plant growers to the basics of cactus care and cultivation, then presents an alphabetized directory of roughly 50 varieties—from Acanthocalycium to Uebelmannia pectinifera. Only avid plant lovers need remember the scientific names. More practical for plant growers, and shown in stunning photographs, is the magnificent variety of cactus flowers that blossom from the unusual and fascinating shapes of these plants.

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous and informative.......2007-07-16

Wow. Some of the most beautiful pictures here. The book seems very well put together. Instructions are clear and informative without being too scientific-y or too offhand. Very relevent information and great organization, along with fantastic photographs to inspire.

A VERY HELPFUL BOOK.......2006-09-09

I am quite glad I added this one to my collection. The photographs found in this volume are quite good, beautiful, as a matter of fact. I had to agree with another reviewer in that I do wish more of the actual plant was shown, rather than the flower. There are some very good growing tips in this small volume which I found very helpful. No one book can fill all of your needs is raising/growing any plants and I have found that it is very necessary to purchase a number of them. This is one I am glad to have added to the growing shelf. I did give this one five stars as the photographs alone are worth it. Recommend.

To the author 'beautiful'=flowers.......2006-06-02

This should be called Cactus Flowers because there is very little in this book other than pictures taken from above of cactus flowers, frequently obscuring the cacti themselves for page after page. There is hardly any discussion on form, spines, etc. just flowers, flowers, flowers. The actual photography of the flowers itself is very well done. There are some good tips on care, but it is very repetitive. This would be a good book for someone who likes pretty plant books or flowers, not necessarily someone interested in cacti.

The best book available for home cactus enthusiasts!.......2005-02-11

I've purchased over a dozen books on cacti, but none of them thoroughly discuss the proper care for cacti grown at home. I was amazed by author Elisabeth Manke's attention to detail as it pertains to information you actually need. For instance, one section of the book covers general cactus care on a month-by-month basis. For an Ohio cactus enthusiast, that kind of information is invaluable. Indeed, one of my cactus plants owes its life to this book!

If you often read about cacti, you already know that there is a lot of conflicting information out there from highly reputable sources. In my experience, any time the information in this book differs from that in other books, this book is the one that is correct (and that even counts a $100 cactus encyclopedia!) All of the pictures and species are properly labeled by modern naming conventions.

If you need a book to help you ID wild cacti in the Arizona desert, this one probably isn't it (despite the hordes of beautiful photos). If you're trying to raise a few (or a few hundred) plants of your own in a windowsill or a greenhouse, this book is the best resource I've found! I wish I would have bought this book first. I'd have saved a couple hundred dollars...

My First Book Ever on Cactus Care........2003-08-10

I have been an avid cactus fan since I was very young (I'm 16 now), but I never had a really good book on cacti until now. This one is concise, comprehensive, and offers a wide range of gorgeous color photos. Sure, it was the only one my local bookstore had. But by the same token, it is excellent, and not too expensive either. For the cactus lover.

A Cactus Odyssey: Journeys in the Wilds of Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina

Average customer rating:

WHAT A WELL DONE, DELIGHTFUL VOLUME!
Extremely entertaining knowledge!

A Cactus Odyssey: Journeys in the Wilds of Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina
James D. Mauseth , Roberto Kiesling , and Carlos Ostolaza
Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Cacti: The Illustrated Dictionary
The Cactus Family

ASIN: 0881925268

Book Description

This book presents the stories of three avid field biologists who over the course of 15 years frequently traveled together in search of cacti in Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina. The conversational style of this travelogue allows us to share in the authors' excitement as they encounter plants that have rarely, if ever, been written about. Nearly 195 remarkable color photographs accompany the vivid descriptions of unusual cacti growing alongside non-succulent plants, at altitudes of 8000 feet or more-and even in rainforests! A Cactus Odyssey will interest gardeners, travelers, and conservationists from around the world who wish to learn more about these irresistible plants, and it is the hope of the authors that this book will inspire others to undertake their own cactus odyssey.

Customer Reviews:

WHAT A WELL DONE, DELIGHTFUL VOLUME!.......2006-09-04

I cannot remember when I have had so much enjoyment in reading a book about plants. This is not a simple "how to identify" work, but rather a story by and of three very knowledgeable men, scientists, traveling through the countries of Bolivia, Peru and Argentina, not as tourists, but rather than scientist. For a book which is primarily about plants, i.e. cactus, it is so much more. We get a wonderful and insightful travel story/book thrown in. As another reviewer pointed out, this could quite well have been a very boring read. This it was not! I have actually given this one three reads simply because it is fun! But, most importantly, this volume is simply packed with wonderful information about cacti, their history, their origins and environment. This work in not simply a field guide or a bunch of pretty, sterile pictures of cactus setting on a shelf photographed with a bunch of high tech gear, it actually gives information about these wonderful plants as they grow in their home environment, their natural state, the wild. The photographs are all field photographs and for field photos, quite well done. The text is very precise and easy to follow, not being over the head of the amature (such as my self) yet providing so much information to the advanced student. Discriptions are great. I did have trouble at first with the Latin names of course, but this forced be to pull out my old high school Latin books and do a bit of brushing up...this was good. All of the photographs are in color and well captioned. As an added note, Timber Press did a wonderful job on this book (I wonder if all their books are of this caliber). I wish all books were of this physical quality. Of even more importance than anything else, my knowledge of this particular plant family took a 100 percent jump in depth. For that I am grateful. I very much suggest you add this one to your library. Recommend highly.

Extremely entertaining knowledge!.......2005-11-28

Since I started growing my first cacti nearly 30 years ago, certain books have been of great importance for my knowledge and development, when it comes to growing and understanding cacti. But never has one single book put so many pieces together as this one! The book is just packed with knowledge and I really became overwhelmingly inspired!
The authors travel through several South American countries and habitats, diverse as they are because of the andean influence. You just want to go there and travel yourself!

After reading this book twice in a short time, I view the whole consept of cacti and environment differently. How the tectonic plates moved and forced plants and animals to evolve and adapt to the new niches and habitats, from the ancestors in Gondwana, to the first cacti in south America, later spreading into the adjoining north American continent. How the cactusgenera are related. How a cactus works.
In fact I learned too many tings to mention everything; just read the book! It could seem very technical and boring, but believe me; its not! At least if you have a relation to growing cacti. Its all in there! Highly recommended!

Average customer rating:

Excellent Little "Field Guide" Book

70 Common Cacti of the Southwest
Pierre C. Fischer
Manufacturer: Western Natl Parks Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0911408827

Book Description

This valuable guidebook describes and depicts 70 common species of the Southwest deserts. Photos by leading southwestern photographers. Includes index.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Little "Field Guide" Book .......2007-05-07

Great for anyone planning to visit Southwest to view native cacti. Not a gardening book, so do not expect growing information. If you love the desert, just 5 minutes of reading this book over coffee takes you there....

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