Weeds of the Northeast (Comstock books) [Paperback]

Richard H. Uva (Author), Joseph C. Neal (Author), Joseph M. DiTomaso (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 15, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0801483344 | ISBN-13: 978-0801483349 | Edition: 1st

Here, at last, is a lavishly illustrated manual for ready identification of 299 common and economically important weeds in the region south to Virginia, north to Maine and southern Canada, and west to Wisconsin. Based on vegetative rather than floral characteristics, this practical guide gives anyone who works with plants the ability to identify weeds before they flower.*A dichotomous key to all the species described in the book is designed to narrow the choices to a few possible species. Identification can then be confirmed by reading the descriptions of the species and comparing a specimen with the drawings and photographs.*A fold-out grass identification table provides diagnostic information for weedy grasses in an easy-to-use tabular key.*Specimens with unusual vegetative characteristics, such as thorns, square stems, whorled leaves, or milky sap, can be rapidly identified using the shortcut identification table. The first comprehensive weed identification manual available for the Northeast, this book will facilitate appropriate weed management strategy in any horticultural or agronomic cropping system and will also serve home gardeners and landscape managers, as well as pest management specialists and allergists.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I highly recommend Weeds of the Northeast if you ever happen to be in a masochistic mood and don't have a sharp stick handy with which to poke yourself in the eye. As I leafed through the pages, wincing at the depressingly clear color photographs, a horrible sense of familiarity set in. Ninety-nine percent of the weeds were in my garden. It was like looking at a family album of all your least favorite relatives. There was mean and scary Great-Aunt Margaret (Scotch thistle); passive-aggressive Cousin Isobel with the mustache (hairy bittercress); Uncle Ralph with the drinking problem and disgusting table manners (prostrate pigweed). Despite the feeling of nausea that gripped me, I was able to gather much useful information of a scientific sort. As Nietzsche said, that which doesn't kill me makes me stronger, and so I suppose my encounter with an army of unnaturally über-weeds could be looked at as an exercise in character-building."—Horticulture, Jan/Feb 2005

"This impressive factual Weed Identification Manual, the first ever compiled of the Northeast, is thorough and well designed. . . . This is a distinctive book and reference guide on weeds, one that will be welcomed in a library, school, garden club, a gift for friends, and definitely a copy for yourself."—News of the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State

"This detailed and user-friendly guide identifies nearly 300 weedy plant species commonly found from southeastern Canada south to Virginia and west to Wisconsin. Sharp color photographs illustrate each plant in seed, seedling, and mature stages. In addition, plants can be readily distinguished using an identification key based on vegetative characteristics such as leaf orientation, leaf shape, and presence or absence of hairs. A handy fold-out chart helps with identification of those tricky grasses. Weeds that can be identified easily by characteristics such as thorns or milky sap are listed in a series of 'shortcut' tables."—The American Gardener

"The appeal of Weeds of the Northeast is broad, ranging from home gardeners to professional gold course managers to farmers. The book deserves a slot in the reference library."—American Reference Books Annual

"Weeds of the Northeast is the first comprehensive weed identification manual available for the northeastern region of the U.S. . . . The manual will facilitate appropriate weed management strategies in horticultural or agronomic cropping systems and will also serve home gardeners, landscape managers, pest management specialists, and allergist."—Weed Technology

"Lavishly illustrated and exceptionally well-done. . . . Here is a model to be emulated for California and other weedy areas of the United States and Canada."—Taxon 47

"This is a thorough and well-designed book that's been needed for a long time. The system of having both drawings and photographs accompanying the description of each plant will be of great help to amateur gardeners as well as to professional growers and horticulturists. The identification tables are also very useful."—Elisabeth Sheldon, author of A Proper Garden: On Perennials in the Border

"Knowing your opponents is the first step in weed prevention. Weeds of the Northeast is businesslike and well photographed—a useful tool for the conscientious gardener."—Barbara Damrosch, author of The Garden Primer

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Cornell University Press / Comstock Publishing; 1st edition (May 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801483344
• ISBN-13: 978-0801483349
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > By Region
  • #23 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Botany
  • #46 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > Reference

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

94 of 94 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome weed book! August 18, 2000

By J. Mallory

Format:Paperback

This is one of the best weed books I have come across. It has very clear descriptive text and the photos are all clear and crisp. But what really thrilled me is that in addition to this the authors have included photos of seedlings and seeds of each species! Who hasn't been out in the field only to be stumped on a plant's identification because the plant is only in the seedling stage? Me, for one... lots of times. The book even has a section on common weed tree seedlings. Wow! I would recommend this book to any professional or amatuer botanist. I hope to see more from these authors.

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent information for amateurs and even children. September 3, 1998

By [e-mail]

Format:Paperback

When I first saw this book at a workshop which was given by the Children's Museum of Boston this summer,I knew I had to have it. Weeeds are no longer nameless. Every type of weed I have seen so far I can identify using this book. The illustrations are real photographs and not drawings so what you see is the real thing.I keep the book in my car so when I go to my friend's house I can show off my knowledge of weeds :). The Title usually gets raised eyebrows.But when I show it to people their reaction change. Even my children ages 10 and 11 use it . The only drawback is that if you don't know the name of the weed you will have to flip through the whole book.But then I don't know how I could have organized it any better if I had written it myself. Excellent book anyway.

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable resource for "weeds" (which are often beautiful plants) May 18, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This book is an invaluable guide for amateurs who want to know "what that thing growing over there" is. I just bought some land that is covered with a mysterious, bamboo-like, nearly impassable stand of Mystery Plant. With this book in hand, within minutes I identified it as Japanese Knotweed. The only reason why I didn't give the book (which began as Uva's doctoral dissertation) a perfect "10" is this: the organization lacks convenience. Each plant is shown on two pages; the left is a neat, detailed description of the plant, the right is several photos of it. To find a plant, you must flip through every page (it's arranged by monocot and dicot, but if you don't know into which category the plant falls, you're a little lost).