Zone Ten Nursery Book Reviews & Recommendations

Many of our subtropical growers have expressed the desire to learn more about the endless possibilities of the subtropical climate. For those people, we have assembled a short list  of references we recommend on tropicals and other nice plants. Yes, the reviews here are mostly positive for the very good reason that we are only bothering to review books that we recommend. Most of these books fall into the category of reference texts, though many of them will provide you with hours of browsing fun.

We do not sell these books, but most are still in print as far as we know, and should be available on the Internet as well as the big bookstores. Other sources are mentioned below. The Fairchild Tropical Garden Bookstore and the Preston B. Bird and Mary Heinlein Fruit and Spice Park bookstores (both in Miami-Dade county) are also good sources for many of these. This page exists only as a service to our web site visitors. We will be adding titles to the list periodically with the most recent reviews at the top of the list, so you plant-loving bibliophiles may wish to bookmark this page.

All reviews on this page were written by Tom White of Zone Ten Nursery.

Last update for this page 9/23/03. Current number of books reviewed: 20

Hortus Third: A Concise Dictionary of Plants Cultivated in the United States and Canada compiled by Liberty Hyde Bailey and Ethel Zoe Bailey, revised and expanded by the Staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium, Cornell University; Barnes & Noble; ISBN 0-7607-2116-5; boxed set of two volumes, paperback; list $39.95.

The reason more people don't have a copy of this important reference work is that, up until the paperback version was printed, you had to buy the hardcover edition which costs about $ 150. Now, if you go to the Barnes & Noble web site, you can get the paperback for below list price, so it is really a good deal. Plus, the two volume format makes just handling this giant tome a lot easier. As the blurb on the shell case tells it, there are: 1,312 pages; 23,979 entries; 187 general articles; 260 illustrations, 1,105 glossary definitions; 10,326 cross-indexed synonyms; 10,408 common names.

The first section on classification is very informative, too. I enjoy just reading through the glossary. (Do you know the definition of "unguiculate"?) But then, I am a plant nut. If you are, too, then you might want to install a copy of this book in your library. You can probably get a look at one at your local Barnes & Noble bookstore. Granted, a reference book of this type is not for everybody, but if you are interested in a wide variety of exotic plants, you will probably get a kick out of this Hortus third. You might think that, because these volumes include the nothern climate plants, there wouldn't be a lot in there on tropicals. Not so. With almost twenty-four thousand entries, just aboout eveything gets covered. And this isn't just a compilation of plants native to North America; the imported plants are in here, too. Anything that people grow here is listed. Plus, there are articles and entries on topics such as "Landscape Gardening", "Forcing" and "Onions", along with separate listings for the plant families.

Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family by Deni Brown; second edition; Timber Press, Inc.; ISBN 0-88192-485-7; list $ 34.95

We were pleasantly surprised to discover that this text was being published in a second edition which deals with the new classifications which have come about since the first edition was published in 1988 - especially since the first edition is out of print. Finding information on this wonderful group of plants is so difficult without a book such as this one.

It has always mystified us why such an important group of plants (Calla Lily, Philodendron, Voodoo Lily and other Amorphophallus, Arisaema, Aglaonema, Dieffenbachia, Xanthosoma, Caladium, Monstera, Pothos, Anthurium, Colocasia, Alocasia and many others) has so little written information available to the general public. For some reason, with the exception of this book, only scholarly papers provided a look into the Arum world. (The International Aroid Society has recently published a text, but it may be a bit too dry for the general gardener and costs about $ 100 more.) And Deni Brown's color photographs are gorgeous. This is not just science, it's art, too. Some of the chapters are more "readable" than others, naturally, but if you love these tropicals like we do, this is an ideal combination of general information and reference text, and you will want to own a copy.

We have heard the first edition described as "anecdotal",  whatever that means, but the 19 pages of references should tip you off that this author is anything but superficial in her approach to writing. Of special interest to tropical gardeners is the chapter "Aroids in Cultivation", which lists the major genera with sections on hardiness, cultivation, and propagation followed by discriptions of the important species.

Bamboos by Christine Recht and Max F. Wetterwald; Timber Press, Inc.; ISBN 0-88192-268-4; list $ 32.95

Well, we have taken a look at a lot of books on this subject (and there are quite a few of them) and we settled on this one for several reasons. First, it is general regarding species by geographic origin. Secondly, this volume deals with history, identification of species the collector is likely to come across, morphology, cultivation, garden design, commercial uses, even recipes, so is of general interest to the backyard grower. Thirdly, the text is highly readable and informative; you can actually sit down and read through the book. Finally, there are abundant color photographs along with nice pen and ink drawings. We think this is the best general book on the subject for people who know next to nothing about these plants as well as tropical gardeners and collectors who like to delve into the botanical details of the species they may wish to grow.

Tropical Plants for Home and Garden Text by William Warren with photography by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni. 1997 Thames and Hudson Ltd., London, ISBN 0-500-01795-6.

We couldn't wait to get our hands on this volume because of our deep respect for Tettoni's photographic work in their collaboration on Tropical Gardens, the most inspiring books we have seen for tropical plant gardeners (see below). Once again, they have created a delight for the eye and (as was not the case with the other book) there are now two or three paragraph plant descriptions given, including information on family names, culture, general description and propagation. The 449 color plates are stunning with the sort of clarity and composition we associate with Eliot Porter's work.

There is a nice historical introduction followed by sections based on plant type: Ornamental Trees, Flowering Shrubs and Annuals, Foliage Plants, Vines and Creepers, Exotics (whatever that means, it is mostly heliconias and gingers), Ground Covers, Water Plants, Palms and Palm-like Plants, and Orchids. Fortunately, there is an index with Latin and common names. We already have customers coming in, clutching their copy of this book with numerous pages bookmarked.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive text (and, of course, it isn't) but rather a treat for people like us who admire tropical plants. If only it were possible for these fellows to create a multi-volume set! (Or maybe a collaboration with Robert Lee Riffles and Fred Berry?) But there are so many plants, so little time. We did spot one or two errors, such as the mixed-up labeling of the photos on the Artocarpus pages, but these things always seem to occur in even the most scholarly of texts. If you are a fan of tropicals and/or photography you just have to get this one.

Fruits of Warm Climates by Julia Morton. Self-published, ISBN 0-9610184-0. 505 pages.

This is the most thorough and authoritative book on tropical fruits we know of. Dr. Morton was, until her recent passing at advanced age, the Director of the Morton Collectanea at the University of Miami and has authored many excellent books on plants (see another review below) but this is her opus magnum. Containing color and black-and-white photos along with detailed descriptions of fruit use, nutrition, cultivar names, geographical distribution, culture, harvesting, and an extensive bibliography, you might think it would be a dry read, but Morton's writing style, though precise, is highly readable. The book is said to be out of print, but it is available through the "out of print" searches on sites like Amazon or in used book stores. The last time I checked, the Fairchild Tropical Garden bookstore had half a dozen copies. However, you don't need to do that either. The book is now available on line! It is brought to you by Purdue University. Just click on the book cover photo above right and you are there.

Native Florida Plants by Robert G. Haehle and Joan Brookwell. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas. ISBN 0-88415-425-4. List $ 24.95.

We have a lot of native plant books, but have never recommended any until now primarily because they are generally rather dry and have hundreds of tiny photographs - all of which look alike. Now this problem has been addressed and there is finally a reference book available for people besides the specialists and native plant commando types. First of all, the color photographs (by Joan Brookwell, formerly home and garden editor for the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel) are superb. One of Florida's finest plantsmen, Dr. Edward Gilman of the University of Florida also contributed. Robert G. Haehle, a former county agent for Broward County and also a Sun Sentinel columnist is the co-author.

The book is highly readable and reasonably priced. Each species gets its own page with one or two color photographs (the best we have seen yet in a native plant book) and summaries of height, light requirements, bloom, fruit, leaves, trunk, range,  habitat, and propagation plus a narrative section on use. But it is not all reference text. There is enjoyable reading in such narrative sections as Plant Communities, Florida's Climate, Culture, Creating a Native Garden, Water Gardens, The Seaside Garden, Wildflower Gardens and Grassy Meadows, Welcoming Wildlife, Bringing in the Butterflies, and (bless the honesty!) Not-So-Nice Natives. The remainder of the book is the species pages grouped into categories such as "grasses", "ferns", "vines" and so forth.

So, if you are only going to buy one book on native Florida plants, this is the one we recommend.

This is a welcome addition to the tropical plant reference library here and winner of the American Horticultural Society's 1999 "Book of the Year" award. The writing is enthusiastic and there are almost two thousand entries in 428 pages plus the color photo pages with large, high quality prints. The pictures are quite nice and much clearer and larger than, say, the pix in Tropica. The write-up is also much more complete (and up to date, of course). Of all the books listed here, this one has the most detailed plant descriptions, though not as many photos.  Typically, the author will write up a description of each plant family included plus descriptions of individual species.

I happen to know that Mr. Riffle wanted to make the book much larger than it is, but even so, there is a lot of good information between these covers. It is also nice to see some of our local friends credited in a book of this nature. The back of the book contains brief sections on tropical plants by type(aquatic, grasses, epiphytes, hedge, palms, poisonous plants, etc.) with lists of plants of that type in most cases. This is followed by leaf, stem and flower shape charts and a brief glossary. The bibliography is extensive. The index mixes common and scientific names together, which I have always found more convenient than separate lists. All in all, well worth the rather modest price for a tome of this nature. In fact, for a tropical plant person, the word "indispensable" pops quickly to mind when considering this text.

Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables - A Commonsense Guide, by Elizabeth Schneider, 1986 Harper & Row, ISBN 0-06-015420-9. Well, this one is really sort of unique. It is basically a recipe book for unusual fruits and vegetables. We include it here because so many of these things can be grown in the subtropics. Need to make jelly from your blood oranges or a recipe for Atemoya Cream Desert? She has it. How about cactus pear breakfast shake, deep-fried squash flowers, pummelo marmalade or a Feijoa soufflé?

Lots of times people in South Florida move to a new house with these things growing in the yard already and have no clue what to do with them. There are a lot of fascinating foods in the world that people don't take advantage of. The book is organized alphabetically by fruit or vegetable name and each item includes a pen and ink rendering and an informative write-up containing general information on the plant, selection and storage, Use, Preparation, and Nutrition Highlights.

No list of plants for the subtropics would be complete without Julia Morton's 400 Plants for South Florida; published by Fairchild Tropical Garden, second edition 1981, ISBN 0-911458-34-8.   Sadly, Ms. Morton left us this past year and she is sorely missed. Illustrated with color and B&W photos by the author. Though old enough to have had some species renamed since it's publication,it is a classic reference work for plants of this area. Includes palms, flowering tress and shrubs as well as food plants. 

Tropica, by Alfred Byrd Graf (Roehrs)ISBN 0-911266-24-0; contains over 7000 color photos of tropical plants along with short descriptions. There are some general information sections, but people usually buy this book for the pictures. Some of the binomial names are out of date, so you need to check the Errata section in the back. It is a good way to discover new types of tropical plants which interest you. It is expensive though.

The definitive book on the genus, lavishly illustrated with color photographs. Varietal descriptions are the strong point here, but there is cultural information as well. Fred Berry told us shortly before he passed away that a revised edition is forthcoming. We haven't seen anything yet, though.

Cultivated Plants of the World, by Don Ellison (Flora Publications International) ISBN 1-876-06000-X; Another pricey volume, but zillions of color photos with the emphasis on flowering plants. I am often amazed by the number of species and cultivars included in this book. Descriptions are very minimal, but include one for each genus and one for each species listed. Most of the nurseries we know in south Florida have a well-thumbed copy of this book.

Botanica, by R.G. Turner, Jr. (Random House, Australia for Barnes & Noble) – This is very reasonably priced and loaded with photos and cultural information on over 10,000 garden plants. It even comes with a CD-ROM! It includes veggies and a bunch of other useful information on propagation and so forth. There is a great deal of information in this collection that you will have trouble finding elsewhere. Unlike many of these A-Z garden books, there is no lack of information on tropicals. There are also general information sections including an explanation of plant names, a glossary, and something rather nice: a review of plant families and their relationships for those of you who want to delve a bit deeper into the world of Botany and Taxonomy. The photos are many, and so, as in Tropica, they have to be somewhat small. They are of good quality, though, for their size.

Mangos - A Guide to Mangos in Florida, Richard J. Campbell, Ph.D., Published by Fairchild Tropical Garden (305-667-1651) ISBN 0-9632264-0-1, Everbest, Hong Kong (paperback). OK, this is THE book on Mangos for Florida growers, containing beautiful photographs of the best varieties with detailed descriptions, anecdotal and historical information, propagation, production and harvesting and storage. If you can't decide what cultivars to plant, this is a must have. Also, just a heck of a good read.

Florida, My Eden, by Frederic B. Stresau (Florida Classics Library) ISBN 0-912451-19-X - Contains all your basic Florida landscape plants with color photos of each to illustrate how they appear in the landscape as well as ink drawings of the leaf. Information given includes binomial, common name(s), origin, size, form, texture, flower, fruit, geographic location, dormancy, culture, use, and comments. We don't know many plant people who don't own a copy of this book. You can tell by the condition of the cover that it has been well used.

Betrock's Reference Guide to Florida Landscape Plants, Broschat & Meerow (U. of Florida IFAS) - Lists an amazing number of plants with brief but complete cultural information re: sun, soil, hardiness zone, salt tolerance, etc. Don't be scared off by the plants they list as Zone 10b, though, as we are in 10a and grow most of them with no problem. We use this all the time. The volume includes references to some quite uncommon, non-native species.

Complete Guide to Florida Gardening, by Stan De Freitas. Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, Texas. $ 21.95; ISBN 0-87833-572-2. The chapters are organized primarily by plant type (Fruits and Nuts, Annuals, Florida Lawns, etc.). Chapter one "Planning Your Garden" contains information on irrigation, soil, fertilizers, cold protection and so forth and the last chapter deals with insects and diseases. The book is thoroughly illustrated with both drawings and numerous color photos. An excellent and inexpensive book for people who have just moved to Florida and don't know how to begin in the garden.

For real inspiration on Tropical gardening, there is no more wonderful text than The Tropical Garden, by William Warren (ISBN 0-500-01512-0) with amazing, delicious photography by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni. 1991 Thames & Hudson, Ltd. This book is difficult to describe well. We only suggest that you thumb through a copy and see if you don't end up wanting it real bad. The text is highly readable and enjoyable, but it is the photos that take you to other worlds. Our copy was ruined by Hurricane Andrew, so we bought another. (See photo at the top of this page.)

Our bible for edible plants is Cornucopia, by Stephen Facciola, Kampong Publications, Vista, 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9. Though not infallible, (and which book is?) it is exhaustive. There is a new edition which may already be available. No information on culture or description and no pictures, unfortunately, but virtually every plant that provides food (including cultivar names) is listed along with how they are used. It is a bit confusing until you figure out how to use all the indices, but ultimately worth the effort. Perhaps the most useful section of the book is a listing of sources for the plants and seeds - especially in the new edition, we hope, since the old one contains a lot of references to companies which no longer exist.

There are dozens more, but those are the ones we use the most. More to come later as we find time to write the reviews.

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