Allen J. Coombes

This book begins with an introduction in which readers learn what defines a “tree,” what its parts are, what are the types of fruit, types of bark, and so on. The rest of the content is arranged according to the two major tree groups: conifers and broadleaves. The groups are then divided into families and then by genus and species. This means the index is essential to find the common name for the tree type you are looking for - say, oak, or birch. And what if you don’t know even the show more common name? There are excellent color photos with each entry, showing both the silhouette of the whole tree, details of leaves, fruit if any, and how the tree and leaves look at different stages and different times of year.

There is also plenty of information about each tree. Following a general description, the author provides indications of height, shape, leaf persistence (evergreen or deciduous), native region, habitat, and remarks of interest.

Overall, this is an excellent resource in a handy size to take with you out into the field. I will say however that I could not find apple or citrus trees in either the broadleaf section or the index. There are some other fruit trees included, however. show less

A good place to start when learning about trees and their leaves. Authors says there are 100,000 different kinds of trees in the world and this one has 1 %. Also, a very beautiful browzing book

This is an excellent book for identifying trees. If your like me and don't know the name of one tree from the next :/ then this book is for you. The photographs are so clear and show so much detail that you can easily identify any tree from it's leaf or from the flowers. I have looked at other tree books but the pictures were not sufficient to be able to tell the difference between some leaves. You definately won't have that problem with this book. I highly recommend it.

Cross references common names to their Latin counterparts, but also details the origins, meanings, and pronunciation of each name. Excellent book on the subject.