Utah Wildflowers: A Field Guide To Northern And Central Mountains And Valleys [Paperback]

Richard J. Shaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1995

A visual guide to the wildflowers that inhabit the mountains and valleys of northern and central Utah every spring and summer. A must for the hiker, biker, or lover of the outdoors. Includes over 100 full-color photographs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Outdoor enthusiasts such as hikers, bikers, and campers that visit Utah and the Rocky Mountains in neighboring states will find this book a welcome addition to field guides to our western states. -- SIDA, 1995

About the Author

Richard Shaw is professor emeritus and emeritus director of the Intermountain Herbarium, Department of Biology, Utah State University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Utah State University Press; 1 edition (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874211700
• ISBN-13: 978-0874211702
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,196,631 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wasatch Hikers Delight, June 19, 2001

By 

Michael J. Savage (West Jordan, Utah United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Utah Wildflowers: A Field Guide To Northern And Central Mountains And Valleys (Paperback)

If you live along the Wasatch Front and hike the many canyons of the Wasatch then this is the book for you. The Photographs are beautiful and show the flowers well, the text is interesting and tells of past uses of the plants by indians and settlers, and the book is small enough to carry with you on every hike. "Utah Wildflowers" does show many of the common flowers you may find in bloom during the late spring and summer months. If however you are looking for a comprehensive guide with field "identification" capabilities then I would look elsewhere. With only 102 flowers covered, little or no pictures of leaves, and little said of similar species, habitat or identification difficulties I cannot recommend this guide.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction to Native Plants, January 6, 2002

By 

K. Delaney "Kevin Delaney" (Salt Lake City, Utah USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Utah Wildflowers: A Field Guide To Northern And Central Mountains And Valleys (Paperback)

This is an excellent introduction to the native flowers of Utah. The authors present a hundred high quality photos of Utah wild flowers. Each picture has a small informative blurb (about 100 words) about each flower.

The photography is the main value of the book. The authors captures the beauty of the flowers. Unfortunately, the book does not give enough information identifying plants. As mentioned in the first review, many pictures do not show the leaves. Although the author captures the beauty of the subject, the reader may find it hard to use the book for identifying plants.

I would put this book at the top of the list for people wanting to get started learning about the native plants in Utah. I also feel that native plant entusiasts will enjoy the high quality photos. It would make a great gift for any one who enjoys walking in the Utah mountains. However, if you are looking for a primary reference for native plants, I fear that you will be disappointed.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not comprehensive, August 11, 2007

By 

Victoria Kelber "vkmarco" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Utah Wildflowers: A Field Guide To Northern And Central Mountains And Valleys (Paperback)

I would not recommend this book. Many very common wildflowers are not included. Because most of the photos show only closeups of the blossom, without leaves or full views of the plant, identification is difficult. I haven't investigated other books, but I would urge you to look at others before purchasing this one.