Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses [Paperback]

Michael A. Dirr (Author), Bonnie Dirr (Illustrator), Margaret Stephan (Illustrator), Asta Sadaukas (Illustrator), Nancy Snyder (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Serving as an ideal companion to Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs (above), this classic manual offers thorough information on the woody trees and shrubs used in landscaping. Aside from each plant's physical description, there's also an elaboration of hardiness, growth rate, culture, diseases and insects, landscape value, cultivars, and propagation.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1187 pages
• Publisher: Stipes Pub Llc; 5th edition (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875637957
• ISBN-13: 978-0875637952
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.2 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > Shrubs
  • #42 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > Trees

More About the Author

Michael A. Dirr is a professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia. He is the author of twelve books, including Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia and the text and reference book, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, and has published more than 300 scientific and popular papers and articles. His teaching, lectures, seminars, garden study tours, and plant introduction programs have contributed enormously to greater horticultural awareness. He has received the highest teaching and gardening awards from the University of Georgia, American Society of Horticultural Science, American Horticultural Society, American Nursery & Landscape Association, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Southern Nursery Association, and Garden Club of America.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 89 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Gold November 21, 2000

By James R. Mccall

Format:Paperback

About nine years ago I coughed up the (considerable) sum for the 1990 edition of this book (Dirr puts out a new edition every few years) because, upon casually perusing it, I saw that it covered some plants that I was interested in, and no other book in the store did.

Well. It languished for a while, but when I started getting interested in horticultural plantings (my own and those I encountered on my walks) I started delving into it. Before too long I found a strange thing: this book seems to know everything about horticultural trees and bushes--certainly everything that I was interested in, living first in southern Wisconsin, then northern Kentucky, and finally northern Illinois.

It finally dawned on me that this was the reference work I had always wanted. Even when I (very rarely!) thought it didn't cover a plant, it usually did anyway (perhaps making short shrift of it in a slightly different spot). As with any other great tool, learning to use it is an iterative process: the more you learn, the better you use it, and so learn yet more.

So if you are a plant person, just buy this book, rather than half-a-dozen half-baked horticultural "theme" books. You get a great reference, and as a real bonus, you get Michael Dirr's enthusiasm and planterly asides enlivening the text. (And the paperback version is also sturdy and usable.) Put it next to your dictionary, so it's within easy reach. You'll need it.

70 of 71 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars NO Better reference for landscaping! August 25, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Regardless if you live in Key West, San Diego, Seattle, International Falls or New York City, Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants will help you select, culture and successfully grow the correct plants for your area. It is the single-greatest source of information on landscape materials I have ever seen. Thousands of varieties are also listed. For pictures, check out Dirr's Hardy Trees & Shrubs, but to get educated, you've GOT to get your hands on this one!

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars On my short list of best horticultural references May 17, 2002

By E. J. Biddinger

Format:Paperback

I have a lot of reference books covering landscaping, plant propagation, identification, and disease problems. Dr. Dirr has done a fantastic job of compiling all of this information (and a few welcome opinions) for a couple thousand landscape plants into one consise work.

When I have a question, this book is usually my first stop. Information on common species is very comprehensive. However lesser used landscape plants are covered in an abbreviated manner, which sometimes forces me to find other resources (which are not difficult to locate thanks to the large number of cited references).

The indexes of both common and scientific names make this sizable volume easy to navigate and usable. The glossary and sections on morphology and identification are handy, espically for beginners or those of us who have been out of college for a while! Additionally, the thoughtful layout and readable type size make this manual more usable than other similar books I have encountered.

Dr. Dirr has created an excellent volume which is on my short list of horticultural reference works.