Fall Color and Woodland Harvests: A Guide to the More Colorful Fall Leaves and Fruits of the Eastern Forests (Paperback)

~ C. Ritchie; Lindsey, Anne H. Bell (Author) "As the days grow shorter toward the end of summer, the stage is set for the biological equivalent of the "Greatest Show on Earth," the..." (more)
Key Phrases: serrate leaflets, lateral veins, fall color, North America, Beech Family, New England (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Fall Color and Woodland Harvests, in its handily-carried softbound format, presents a dazzling display of colors." -- Durham (N.C.) Morning Herald

"Excellent." -- National Geographic Traveler

Fall Color and Woodland Harvests, in its handily-carried soft-bound format, presents a dazzling display of colors upon the first leafing through. In field guide fashion, the greater part of the book pictures and describes specific trees and shrubs, with their leaves and fruits. Each reader will find satisfactions both nostalgic and immediate in this book that should become a staple on the shelves of all who love the trees and shrubs of the eastern range. Fall Color and Woodland Harvests should have a long and useful life, giving much pleasure. -- from Edmund Fuller "This one's to read, then take into the field." (Durham Morning Herald Books Section, Sunday, September 16, 1990

For those appreciating natural fall color Fall Color and Woodland Harvests is an enjoyable collection of facts and photographs of fall foliage in Eastern North America and cultivates interest and appreciation for autumn beauty. The scientific information is thorough, yet interest is not lost in detail. Photographs are accompanied by the plant's leaf color, size, texture, fruit and habitats. Bell and Lindsey add life and literary color by explaining how the various plants react to the change of season and how they are interconnected with animal life cycles. They tame daunting subjects such as photosynthesis, relating them to observations common to even the most casual onlookers. The photography enhances identification and captures this beautiful time of year. -- Phillip Williams, The Parkway Milepost, Fall, 1994

So you're planning a fall foliage trip. Here's a quick quiz to check your leaf-peeping IQ: -The longest-lasting fall colors occur in areas such as the southern Appalachians, not in New England. True or false? -Leaves of some trees such as birches, tulip trees, redbud and hickory are always yellow in the fall, never red. True or false? -Leaves have as much yellow pigment, or xanthophyll, in July when they are green as they do in October when they are yellow. True or false? The answer to all the above questions is true. And if knowing something about what you see on a fall foliage trip sounds enticing, then here's where to find some easy-to-understand information: Fall Color and Woodland Harvests. If you've every wondered why some leaves turn yellow and some red, or simply tried to figure out what type of tree you're admiring, then this is the book for you. -- Karen Schwartz, "When you want more out of a fall foliage trip," Associated Press, Fall, 1998

You'll add depth and fun to your trip if you get a color guidebook to the autumn woods. The excellent Fall Color and Woodland Harvests, for instance, depicts leaves in full fall regalia-not to mention nuts, seeds, and berries-for a hundred species east of the Mississippi. With it, you can figure out that those spindly, screaming-scarlet trees near the new highway are smooth sumac; or that the large, orange-leaved woodland shrub is black haw; or that a certain ground-hugging cloud of brownish gold is a drift of cinnamon ferns. (Yes, many ferns turn color, too) -- Jonathan Tourtellot, "Nature Travel" in National Geographic Traveler, Sept-Oct, 1997

Review

Excellent.
—National Geographic Traveler

Fall Color and Woodland Harvests, in its handily-carried softbound format, presents a dazzling display of colors.
—Durham (N.C.) Morning Herald

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press; 1st ed, edition (February 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096086881X
• ISBN-13: 978-0960868810
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #431,252 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fall Color and Woodland Harvests Brings Autumn to Your Home, October 21, 1996

By A Customer

Fall Color and Woodland Harvests by Drs. C.R Bell and Anne Lindsey is a comprehensive reference book for the serious naturalist. Stunning color photographs by some of the regions leading nature photographers adds incredible richness and detail to the book. Bell and Lindsey are particulary adept at presenting technical information in an easy to read and very understandable narrative form. The authors have spent years exploring the eastern forests and giving seminars and talks on its flora. Dr. Bell is the Director Emeritus of the North Carolina Botanical Garden. Your autumn leaf watching trip will be more enjoyable and more rewarding when you take along this excellent book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely, easy to use basic guide, November 23, 2002

By A Customer

I've been frustrated for a while now in trying to find a good tree identification guide. I'm a birder, I do know how to use field guides! --but all the tree guides I've tried had one photograph, or one line drawing, which might have been my leaf or it might not have been... and after staring at a few of these in confusion I'd just give up and decide to enjoy my walk.

This guide is different. First of all, there are both drawn leaf outlines and color photographs (lots of them, quite beautiful) as well as verbal descriptions. And the photographs almost all include MANY leaves of that tree, so you can see how much the leaves actually vary from each other. I thought this was a brilliant idea. Best of all, all of these trees were photographed in the fall, so the color really helps you out too!

This guide only covers some 150 species, but it does that very well. I might have preferred it to be about 1" narrower side to side, but with a bit of care it did fit into my coat pocket. Because of how colorful and easy to use it is, I imagine this guide would be an especially satisfying one to take along on walks with the kids.