Carnivorous Plants [Paperback]

Adrian Slack (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2000

The mobile tentacles of the Sundews, the snapping lobes of the Venus Fly Trap, and the slippery, baited pitfalls of the Pitcher Plants seem the stuff of science fiction, yet these amazing plants do exist. Adrian Slack focuses on some fifty species, using photographs, line drawings, and diagrams to illustrate their peculiarities. He explores in detail the wily manner in which each type of plant entices, catches, and digests its prey.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Adrian Slack's book, Carnivorous Plants, is the best general survey book for a popular audience published to date. The author writes with clarity and an engaging style and successfully presents many interesting details without overwhelming the lay reader. The book contains a detailed section on cultivation, a list of sources, and a helpful glossary. It is written in nontechnical language, insofar as possible, but the professional botanist and horticulturist will also benefit from it." Donald E. Schnell , Horticulture

"This book has the most beautiful illustrations of carnivorous plants that I have ever seen." Carroll E. Wood, Jr. , Curator and Professor of Biology, TheArnold Arboretum of Harvard University

"Adrian Slack, a landscape architect... owns one of the world's largest collections of carnivorous plants... Exquisite photographs by Jane Gate supplement the fascinating details of Mr. Slack's text, which includes a section on how to grow carnivorous plants." Jane E. Brody , The New York Times

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; Revised edition (September 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262690896
• ISBN-13: 978-0262690898
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #979,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for the collector, but probably not for a beginner, May 19, 2003

By 

J. Green (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Carnivorous Plants (Paperback)

This book takes a look at the various types and species of carnivorous plants. It is not an all-encompasing field guide and doesn't try to list every known species, but is a good introduction to carnivorous plants and the methods they use to trap prey and some of the more common species in cultivation at the time.

Practical growing advice is at a minimum - for that it's better to see the author's later work Insect-eating Plants and How to Grow Them (recently reprinted as Insect Eaters), or a more recent book such as D'Amato's The Savage Garden. As I understand it, this was the first serious book devoted specifically to the study of carnivorous plants since the 1940's. As such it is probably more suitable to the collector of carnivorous plants (and books about them) than someone who is trying to grow them.

But still, I've heard Slack called the "Father" of modern carnivorous plant cultivation, and his books deserve respect for that alone. The photos in the book are superb, although there are few, and most are B&W.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best, May 1, 2001

By 

T. H. Wyman (Stone Mountian, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Carnivorous Plants (Paperback)

This book is one of the best books on carnivorous plants (CP). Slack writes in an easy fluid style that reads well, although occasionally his British terminology can confuse the reader. The book covers a wide variety of species and techniques for growing each of them. My only major complaint (and my reason for giving it only 4 stars) is the small number of colored pictures. These plants are some of the most beautiful plants on earth but it is hard to grasp their beauty from line drawings. Slack's second book (Insect-Eating Plants and How to Grow Them) and D'Amato's book (The Savage Garden) do better in this regard. I would recommend this book both to the beginner and experienced CP grower for its wealth of useful information.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and comprehensive, great photos, May 11, 2001

By 

Brandon Einhorn - See all my reviews

This review is from: Carnivorous Plants (Paperback)

The book is outstanding. It covers most types of carnivorous plants, and has many excelent color photos. It has a section on how to grow & care for each type of plant. From pot size, soil, light, humidity, fertilizers, growing period and more.

A minor negative - some additional information would have been useful. I wish it had a little more information on the optimal pot size for the plants, some have this info, some don't. And don't expect it to have every complex Sarracenia Hybrid covered, although it does have a lot of them.

Ive read many (most?) books on CPs published in the last 50-60 years, and this one covers more, provides more info, and has better pictures. This deserves 5 stars, unlike the typically inflated rating. I use it to research any plants I consider buying. If you're interested in CPs this book would be worth buying. It's a steal at its current price. ... .