Product Description

An essential guide to every species of tree found in the British Isles outside of arboretums This easy-to-use guide covers the 360 species of tree that are found in Britain & Ireland. Each species is covered in detail with information on how to identify, whether from a leaf, twig, bark or whole tree, plus extra information on where the tree grows (including a map), how high they grow, what uses the tree is used for and its unique history. Every species is also comprehensively illustrated with photographs of every useful feature -- bark, leaf, seed, flower, twig and whole tree. Sample identification section: Silver Birch Betula pendula (Betulaceae) height to 26m A slender, fast-growing deciduous tree with a narrow, tapering crown when young and growing vigorously. Older trees acquire a weeping habit, especially if growing in an open, uncrowded situation.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79052 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author
Paul Sterry is author of Complete British Wildlife, which has sold over half a million copies, as well as numerous other titles in the successful Collins Complete Photoguide series, including Complete British Birds and Complete British Wild Flowers. He owns the photo library Nature Photographers.

Customer Reviews

A dream publication - Sheer quality
This publication just oozes quality from the high definition colour photography to the research and layout. I have several reference books relating to British trees and this one stands tall above all the others. The number of quality colour photographs is staggering.

If you are seeking a complete reference this book does exactly what it says on the cover, if I could have given it six stars I would have.

A real gem
This book is fascinating for any tree enthusiast.
It is the perfect tool you can use to identify different tree types.
The writing style is concise and in-depth.
A sheer masterpiece.
Picture quality is high definition. Images are portrayed in vivid detail.
This book is fantastic.
If you are even slightly interested in trees or want to expand your knowledge of trees buy this book.

This is the one
This is easily the best book on trees that I have found, and I've tried several. I am very much a tree novice. I maintain a blog that charts the weekly progress of the small woodland and ecological park next to my home. I've been doing well with birds, insects and flowers but have floundered hopelessly when trying to identify trees and shrubs. I have purchaed several books but they have all left me pretty much where I started - dazed and confused. This book is the one. It opened up the whole subject for me and I am now happily identifying and learning about my local trees and shrubs with great confidence.

As well as the pages which focus on idenifying and describing the different species (pages 68 - 312) the openeing chapters deal with a range of fascinating and related topics (pages 4 -68). I found these to be of considerable interest and help. Pf particular use were "Basic Tree Biology", "Identifying Trees", "The Ecology of Trees and Woodland", "Winter Twig", "Comparing leaves" and "Comparing bark".

The descriptive pages are invaluable and easy to use. The left hand page of each pair of pages shows leaves and fruit details and a textual description, whilst teh right hand page is a selection of photographs showing key diagnostic features. These are not the same for all trees, because one feature may be more distinctive on one than another. As well as detailed photographs of leaves and fruit other features highlighted are flowers, bark, general outline of the tree/shrub and sometimes insects and fungi that may be associated.

On pages 64-65 there is a "Places to Visit" list, with web addresses, listing natural woodlands and arboreta that the enthusiast might like to visit. There is a map on the page to show approximate locations.

At the end there is a single index where species can be search by both common and latin names.

This is a superb book. The build is excellent, the pages are glossy, the photography is top quality and it simply yells professionalism.

Both enjoyable and useful, this is by far the best book on the subject that I have found so far.