Identification of Trees and Shrubs in Winter Using Buds and Twigs

Description

To many plant lovers winter seems like lost time, but a glance at the twigs of trees and shrubs shows that this does not need not be the case. In contrast to other life forms, trees and shrubs do not die aboveground, but enclose their shoots for the next year in buds, presenting many characters which hardly change over time. Using these bud and twig characters, deciduous trees and shrubs can be classified reliably in winter, which is particularly important during planting time. Author Bernd Schulz's unrivalled masterpiece is a practical guide to identifying trees and shrubs in winter. Comprehensive and easy to use, it contains over 700 species identifiable via their winter buds and twigs. The illustrated identification keys are easy to use, and a summary set of keys are provided as an appendix. Detailed descriptions are accompanied with over 1,400 colour illustrations.

Bernd Schulz has worked at the Department of Biology at the Institute of Botany, Dresden, since 1993. He is known for his artful drawings of woody features.

"This monumental taxonomic work is one reference work that will help us all to be more confident in the identification of a comprehensive list of winter twigs and buds."--Tony Kirkham, head of arboretum, gardens and horticultural Services, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew "An excellent resource to learn the key features for differentiating woody plants from family to genus to species. The book is at its essence a thoroughly modern textbook. . . . The book has useful and accessible chapters regarding the history of twig-identification botany, twig structure and terminology, and identification keys."-- "The Canadian Field-Naturalist" "Anyone tasked with plant identification knows that the matter is often difficult enough when the plant is in foliage. Lacking foliage, and thus having only twigs and buds to work with, presents a new level of challenges. . . What a welcomed text (this) is. The entire work is best described as lavish, not only in style, layout, and content, but also in the comprehensive treatment of plant identification in general." -- "Arborist News"