The Tree Book

Starred review from June 1, 2019

Two giants of horticulture collaborate to produce a book of considerable heft--a "bible" for tree nerds. Both authors are plantsmen, but Dirr comes from academia (emeritus, horticulture, Univ. of Georgia; Manual of Woody Landscape Plants), while Warren is a retired tree breeder and nurseryman. Urging readers to "choose wisely, plant carefully, and plant often," Dirr and Warren present more than 2,400 species and cultivars suitable for the temperate northern hemisphere ("tree" is defined in terms of mature height--15 feet as the rough lower limit). Each profile includes common and botanical names, details on foliage, flowers, seeds, fruits, cones, native range, availability, adaptability, and popular uses in landscapes. Recommendations and disapprovals are plainly stated, as in the good (any oak), the bad (Callery pear), and the ugly (Siberian elm). Most of the nearly 3,000 color photographs were taken by the authors and strongly support their observations on arboreal form and texture. The writing entertains with its lively stylistic mix of technical, impressionistic, and, occasionally, irreverent approaches to tree selection. VERDICT Readers familiar with Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs will miss its generous back-of-book selection aids, and some will find the current volume's index erratic, especially concerning common names. But these are quibbles: Dirr and Warren have given those who plant, care, and love trees an essential reference.--Robert Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont.

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2019
Renowned horticulturalist Dirr (Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees & Shrubs, 2011) and influential tree breeder Warren open this bounteous volume with a resounding admission: We love trees. As their introduction to this arboreal treasury unfolds, they praise trees as noble works of nature essential to the vitality of the planet and to our well-being. Trees have always been part of the human story, and we need trees more than ever to combat environmental perils and make urban life healthier and more beautiful, yet we continue to cut them down in vast, unsustainable quantities: the world is currently losing about 15 billion trees a year. To help people plant more trees, and to do so wisely, Dirr and Warren have created this substantial, richly detailed A-Z catalog of temperate-zone trees to help professionals and DIYers choose the right tree for any location. Each entry includes color photographs (2,745 in all), a lively description, and precise information about foliage, flowers/seeds/fruits/cones, Native range, Adaptability, Landscape use, Street tree use, and In the trade, or availability. An enormous undertaking passionately and expertly performed, and an invaluable resource.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)