Cacti: The Illustrated Dictionary

Rating:
Summary: The most comprehensive succulent identification I've seen.
Review: I was able to identify 156 specimens growing in my fourteen year old living succulent wreath. The plants photographed in their natural habitat were useful because the gave clues to their culture. I winced because light and temperature requirements were not included, but then again, that would probably make the book too heavy to cart around the garden.

Rating:
Summary: The most comprehensive succulent identification I've seen.
Review: I was able to identify 156 specimens growing in my fourteen year old living succulent wreath. The plants photographed in their natural habitat were useful because the gave clues to their culture. I winced because light and temperature requirements were not included, but then again, that would probably make the book too heavy to cart around the garden.

Rating:
Summary: a good solid reference photographically
Review: I've had this book for several years now and have found it to be very useful in identifying some cacti by their appearance alone, as the book is really a photo album with little text. It can also be used to choose species of cacti that you might want to own because it gives you some idea of their appearance 'pre-buying'. The authors are brothers who have worked well together and that in itself is kinda neat! I can recommend it to beginners and even some intermediate aficionados of cacti.

Rating:
Summary: a good solid reference photographically
Review: I've had this book for several years now and have found it to be very useful in identifying some cacti by their appearance alone, as the book is really a photo album with little text. It can also be used to choose species of cacti that you might want to own because it gives you some idea of their appearance 'pre-buying'. The authors are brothers who have worked well together and that in itself is kinda neat! I can recommend it to beginners and even some intermediate aficionados of cacti.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect for species identification...
Review: If you are looking for the perfect book to help you identify cacti species, then add this book to your shopping cart. The pictures are wonderful; not only do they help you identify the cactus, but they also help you identify the flower. I looked up the cacti that I own and most of them were in the book. I highly recommend this book for the cacti enthusiast. Buy it today!

Rating:
Summary: Family Album, but who is missing
Review: It is very difficult to find fault in a book that is so comprehensive in what it sets out to achieve, and I have no wish to do so. However I would like to point out to potential purchasers, if your interest lies in columnar cacti (Cereus, Cleistocactus, Pilosocereus, I know I could go on forever), or anthing from the Opuntia genus, you will be disappointed because they are not included in the book. Of course many other species are not included but this would be virtually impossible to achieve. There is a very good selection of species for all of the more popular genera, many in flower, which obviously aids in the identification process. As a plant identifier this book would be very difficult to beat. Plant care is virtually non existent, but this is not what the book is about. Under most photographs you will get details of the distribution of the plant; flower colour; spination and some of the different synonyms the plant may be labelled under. if you have any serious interest in Cacti you need this book.

Rating:
Summary: I usually like Timber Press
Review: Pictures in this book are excellent with descriptions that allow for fairly positive identification. Plates are true to color and notations discuss variation in species. Unlike most books by Timber Press, the binding is of poor quality. Still, an excellent reference for beginners like myself.

Rating:
Summary: Most complete cactus guide available.
Review: So complete that it does not require a sequel. The Illustrated Dictionary provides hundreds of photographs of foreign, local, and native cacti. Since it is geared toward botanists and interested naturalists, scientific names are used beside each species portrait. The photos themselves are stunning and beautiful, at times showing the entire plant for quick identification. The plants shown are admirable, and interesting to look at for a while. Some cacti forms may be so appealing, that you may want to find them on the internet for further information! Intriguing series consisting of two Succulent books and a single complete Cactus guide.
The binding is okay, nothing special. That will not matter once you are captivated by the stunning photographs and useful identification purpuses.

Rating:
Summary: I usually like Timber Press
Review: This book provides pictures of most of the small globular cacti. It is excellent for identification of your plants, determining which plants interest you and what those plants in a nursery catalogue look like. It has a short desciption of each plant and its place of origin which may help with cultivation if you know the conditions in that area. It does not cover the columnar cacti or the opuntias so if these are your interest then this book may not be for you. Otherwise, I find it to be amoung the most valuable book in my collection since I am only interested in the appearance of my plants. It allows me to choose which cacti are the most interesting in appearance so I can order them from cactus nurseries.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent pictorial dictionary
Review: This book provides pictures of most of the small globular cacti. It is excellent for identification of your plants, determining which plants interest you and what those plants in a nursery catalogue look like. It has a short desciption of each plant and its place of origin which may help with cultivation if you know the conditions in that area. It does not cover the columnar cacti or the opuntias so if these are your interest then this book may not be for you. Otherwise, I find it to be amoung the most valuable book in my collection since I am only interested in the appearance of my plants. It allows me to choose which cacti are the most interesting in appearance so I can order them from cactus nurseries.