Top 10 List of Conifer Books

By Charlene Harris

[From the Fall 2000 issue (Volume 17, Number 4) of the ACS Bulletin.]

In January 2000, I sent a survey to over 50 ACS members asking for their opinion of the best conifer books. The survey was sent to hobby gardeners and conifer collectors, staff at botanical gardens and arboreta with conifer collections, and nurserymen who propagate and/or sell conifers. The question posed was simply What books do you recommend for conifer information? The question was intentionally broad and non-specific.

Members were asked to list their Top 10 books (or less), written in the English language. The books did not need to be currently in print, nor did they need to be exclusively about conifers. Brief comments were welcome, but not necessary. Some of the comments received are included with the following survey results. (See listing for book sources at the end of the article.)

New! GARDENING WITH CONIFERS by Adrian Bloom  

Whether you are a newcomer to the world of conifers or an experienced collector, you will want this book.   Every gardener would benefit from having this book.

The author, Adrian Bloom, a world-renowned horticulturist and gardener began planting conifers in 1960. His own garden Foggy Bottom at Bressingham in Norfolk, England is in a class by itself. Foggy Bottom is a stunning tapestry of color, form and texture that displays all the best year round qualities of conifers and companion plants.

Bloom’s new book is much like his garden. With his vast horticultural knowledge as a loom, he weaves his way through the world of garden conifers.

Bloom begins by explaining the origin of garden conifers, their names, sports and witches’ brooms. Detailed close-up color photographs of cones, foliage, buds, and bark by Richard Bloom, a professional photographer and the author’s son, are great tools for plant identification as well as artistic enrichments to the book.

The author amply covers conifers growing conditions from soil to setting, as focal points, windbreaks, and hedges and through the seasons in a well-organized, well-written manner. Specific conifers for small gardens, bonsai, troughs and containers, topiary and as ground cover are illustrated and recommended.

A directory of more than 600 conifers includes recommendations for garden use, U.S. Zones, approximate size in 10-years, and whether the conifer was likely propagated by grafting.

The final section of the book covers tips for pruning, propagation by seed, cuttings, grafting, general maintenance and some notes on pests and diseases.

A list of conifer gardens and suppliers in the U.S. and Canada includes many American Conifer Society members. The list also includes many contacts outside North America.

If one picture is worth a thousand words, this book is worth having for the excellent color photographs alone. From cover to cover the photographs, many half and full-page photos illustrate breathtaking garden views and specimen conifers.

By Charlene Harris

1. Manual of Cultivated Conifers, Gerd Krüssmann, Timber Press, ISBN 0-88192-007-X, 1985.

 Survey comments: Very technical and detailed. Good for species, but very limited on recent cultivars. Good technical descriptions. I frequently use it in combination with other conifer picture books.

 Author’s comments: Survey results listed this as the No. 1 conifer book, by a two-to-one margin. It is the most comprehensive conifer book currently in print. Although it is a bit technical for beginners, I recommend it for those seriously interested in conifers. It is easy to grow into and includes excellent worldwide information. This book is frequently listed as a reference for conifer articles. It’s a must for every serious conifer enthusiast.

2. Conifers: The Illustrated Encyclopedia (Vols. 1 & 2), van Gelderen and van Hoey Smith, Timber Press, ISBN 0-88192-354-0, 1996.

 Survey comments: Several errors, too little text, good photos. I appreciate the taxonomic and geographical distribution discussions in the beginning of Vol. 1. The extent of coverage and quality of the photographs is outstanding. Good for pictures but provides little additional useful information. I appreciate the Hardiness Zone maps and cone drawings in the back for reference. I use it for loaning out to people who want to seriously study conifers. Great to look at lacking in technical description.

 Author’s comments: I agree with most of the above comments. There are over 2,300 color photos and more than a hundred line drawings contained in the 700-plus-page book. I was disappointed that the latest two-volume edition did not include plant descriptions, zones, etc., with the conifer photos. More information would have added significant value to the books, which are pricey. It’s the only book of its kind. A preview of this book was published in the ACS Bulletin, Vol. 13, No. 4, Fall 1996.

3. The World Checklist of Conifers, Humphrey Welch and Gordon Haddow, Landsman’s Bookshop Ltd., ISBN 0-900513-09-8, 1993.

 Survey comments: A very useful checklist and still the best when searching out correct nomenclature as of this date. I use this often for accuracy. My most used book for looking up cultivars. No other source includes as many. Good source for basic info, a quick way to check conifer names, spelling and origin.

 Author’s comments: For those who own this book it is their most frequently used conifer data book. It is a dictionary of scientific conifer names with the date of their first publication as found by the author. A brief description of the conifer, in some cases USDA Hardiness Zones, and/or size, and the references to other conifer publications for additional data is most helpful. Finally the last column item lists the country or area of origin. To fully appreciate this book it is important to understand Welch’s intent in compiling this monumental listing of approximately 10,000 conifer names. Welch explains that the information contained in the World Checklist of Conifers was based on his 25 years of work compiling the World Conifer Data Pool, primarily working alone. Haddow joined Welch in publishing the book. It is important to read the Preface, Introduction and Welch’s comments included in the front of the book. Perhaps the best summary for this extensive work is included in the book’s Preface: In the compilation of a list of this kind, just as perfection is unattainable, so also is completeness. This is because botany itself is an on-going science and also because horticulturists continue to produce marketable novelties that they describe as ‘new named garden varieties’ . . . Every conifer enthusiast should own this book.

4. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, 5th Ed., Michael Dirr, Stipes Publishing L.L.C., ISBN 0-87563-800-7, 1998.

 Survey comments: Best of all for good overall descriptions of plants and cultural information, especially this latest edition, which includes more cultivar descriptions. I use this often in my consulting work.

 Author’s comments: According to Dirr his book evolved from the course work he developed for his horticulture classes at the University of Georgia. The text is easy to read with plants listed by their botanical names and the most widely accepted common names. This book includes comments on hardiness, habit, rate of growth, culture, diseases and insects, landscape value, cultivars, native habitat and propagation details not found elsewhere. In the back of the book there is an extensive glossary of taxonomic terms used for woody plant identification plus an index of both the scientific and common names which is helpful for beginners. Although not specific to conifers, many are included. It is an invaluable book for every gardener.

5. A Garden of Conifers, Robert A. Obrizok; Capability’s Books; ISBN 0-913643-08-4, 1991 [NOTE: The second edition of this book was published by Firefly Books in 1999. The publisher says the only significant changes are to the resource list in the back, which has been updated.]

 Survey Notes: The silhouette symbols for the various cultivars are very useful to show shape or habit of growth. Long list of cultivars with brief descriptions. Some photos in garden setting. This is the first book I recommend for anyone totally new to dwarf conifers lacks good descriptions but does discuss the building of his collection.

 Author’s comments: A good book for beginners. It is helpful if you wish to learn how to pronounce latin names and something about their origin, i.e. CHAMAECYPARIS (kam-e-SIP-a-ris), followed by the explanation Chamaecyparis is from two Greek words meaning ‘bush’ and ‘cypress tree.’ The first 50 pages of the book have a modest selection of color conifer photos with brief descriptions and some cultivar listings. The second half is an extensive Descriptive Checklist of conifer cultivars with a brief description, hardiness zone, and silhouette symbol denoting the form. A list of plant names and their meanings, index to common names and source list round out the offerings of this book

6. Growing Conifers: Four-Season Plants, R. William Thomas, Susan F. Martin, and Kim Tripp, Handbook #152. Handbooks in the 21st-Century Gardening Series. Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Inc., 1997.

 Survey comments: Booklet with good information, but limited by the size and scope. Useful for beginners. Some good photos. I display and recommend this book after my slide presentations.

 Author’s Comments: The best little book for introducing conifers. Small and mighty, this book packs a lot into just over 100 pages. Good color photos, conifer names, tips on selecting and using conifers in your garden, basics of growing them, and thirteen top conifer pests and pathogens. The encyclopedia of conifers includes color photos accompanied by a description with growth habits and per year growth rate, USDA Hardiness and Sunset Zones. A great gift for beginners. A complete book review was published in the ACS Bulletin, Vol. 14, No. 4, Fall 1997.

7. Manual of Dwarf Conifers, Humphrey Welch, Theophrastus Publishers/Garland Publishing, Inc., ISBN 0-913728-07-1, 1979.

 Survey comments: Good descriptive text of older cultivars. Black and white photos only. Good historical data for anyone interested in the history of dwarf conifers.

 Author’s comments: This was my second conifer book and also the second conifer book authored by Humphrey Welch. Welch’s first book, Dwarf Conifers, A Complete Guide was published in 1966. Both are historically important to study the progress of dwarf conifers, and the people and gardens involved in bringing dwarf conifers to where they are now, a centerpiece of many gardens. Both of these early books include extensive information about the origins of many conifer cultivars. Vivid descriptions of where they were found, who discovered them, when, and in some cases the history of the original mother plants. As stated on the dust cover flap of the Manual of Dwarf Conifers, In 1966 Humphrey Welch published his first book on these plants [dwarf conifers] which supplied important data and sorted out the confusions that had abounded in the nomenclature.... The new book includes the ‘authorities’ for the names (both botanical and cultivar) and at least brief synonymies, with bibliographical references to enable botanists and other readers to verify Mr. Welch’s data and conclusions for themselves. Each of the books includes 300 or so black and white photographs and many references to plants and plants-people in the United States. Welch’s dedication to documenting the history of dwarf conifers stands alone. Both books are currently out of print. I purchased my books through a book finder in 1989. These books are around and worth the effort to find them.

8. Dwarf and Unusual Conifers Coming of Age, Sandra McLean Cutler, ISBN NO. 0-9654717-0-5, 1997

 Survey comments: Good information limited by the scope of the collections, good photos but small and little detail. Text good but brief. Valued for its historical coverage, broad range of information, the many photographs and some ideas on design.

 Author’s comments: I had the opportunity to review many of the color proof pages of this book prior to publication. Cutler was intent in her purpose of documenting the conifer collections at the U.S. National Arboretum. She accomplished her goal along with providing a historical public record of how, when and why the collections evolved. The historical value of this book is unquestionable, plus it adds to the U.S. bank of knowledge on dwarf conifers. If you anticipate visiting these conifer collections I recommend this book as a guide. As for its historical value, there are so few books available each one brings a new dimension to your conifer library. This book was self-published and is available from the author. A complete book review was published in the ACS Bulletin, Vol. 14. No.1, Winter 1997.

9. Conifers For Your Garden, Adrian Bloom, Floraprint, Ltd, ISBN 903001 01 2, 1972 [Reprinted several times, last in 1997]

 Survey comments: Lots of good color photos. One of the first ornamental conifer books of its kind. Often loaned out to those just getting interested in conifers to introduce them to the basics. Good general reading for beginners and intermediates.

 Author’s comments: A good all-around conifer book with ample color pictures. Starting with the question What are conifers? the introduction includes size and scale, suggestions of how to select your conifers, followed by an explanation of naming conifers. For beginners the book includes an explanation of the origin of garden conifers, photo illustrations of witches’ brooms, reversions and different growing habits. Specific conifers recommended for windbreaks and hedges, rock gardens, winter color, ground cover and shade are helpful. Brief explanations for planting (including moving established conifers), care, pruning, hedging, propagation, and pests and diseases are all included in the beginning of the book. The majority of the book is devoted to an extensive alphabetized photographic listing of conifer cultivars. The photos are accompanied by symbols indicating the growth habit (columnar, pendulous, conical). The ultimate height at 10 years using the metric system helps provide an easy to relate to opportunity for us in the U.S. to become accustomed to the metric system. The last few pages are devoted to color photos of conifer foliage and cones. The color photos in this book are good quality and several are of conifers in garden settings. This was my first conifer book.

10. Manual of Cultivated Conifers, Charles R. Harrison, Hafner Press, ISBN 0-589-00167-X, 1975, [republished in 1985, revised by Julie Grace ISBN 0-917304-83-7]

 Survey comments: Color photos of poor quality by today’s standards, good detail photos. Some descriptive text. Focus on Southern Hemisphere plants. Often used for cross-referencing information. Valued for listing hardiness. Some good general conifer information in back of book.

 Author’s comments: A good conifer photo book for its time. The 500-plus color conifer photos are accompanied by a good description, some cultivation notes and USDA Hardiness Zone. Additional offerings in this book include species and cultivar names and origin, pruning tips, diseases, a key to pronunciation and a glossary of botanical terms commonly used with conifers. The conifer photos included were taken throughout the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Netherlands, and France. I have enjoyed this book for many years. Both editions of this book are out of print and hard to find.

In addition to the above 10 books, several more books were listed once or twice by those participating in the survey. I began building our conifer library over 16 years ago and own all of the above books, plus a half-dozen more. I’m aware of three new conifer books being written at this time, however it will be a year or two before they are available.

I encourage everyone to obtain some of the books listed above to learn more about conifers. If you have comments about these books or suggestions for other conifer books please send them to me directly. I intend to maintain a listing of conifer books and am always interested in obtaining more information. See the directorate in the back of the Bulletin for my address, FAX and e-mail.

About the author: Charlene Harris is the ACS Central Region President. She currently writes a garden column and was the editor of the ACS Bulletin for five years. She and husband Wade live in Chelsea, Michigan, and enjoy gardening with a focus on conifers and companion plants.

Book sources are listed by their survey number

1 & 2. Timber Press, 133 S. W. Second Ave. Suite 450, Portland, Oregon, phone (503) 227 2878, or order from their Web page at www.timberpress.com.

3. Landsman’s Bookshop Ltd, London, Fax 441-885-483420.   In the U.S. see ad   p. 182.

4. Stipes Publishing Co., 10-12 Chester St., Champaign, Illinois 61820.

5. Firefly Books Ltd., 4 Daybreak Lane, Westport, CT 06880-2157, phone (800) 387-5085, Web site www.fireflybooks.com.

6. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11225, phone (718) 622-4433.

7 & 10.   Out of print, try the book finder service at www.Amazon.com web page.

8. Sandra McClean Cutler, 5927 Barton Rd., N. Olmsted, OH 44070-3850, phone (440) 779-8015. www.bartonbradley.com

9. John Markham Associates, phone (250) 655-1823, Fax (250) 655-1826, or   e-mail j.m.associates@home.com.

Author’s Note: To review a listing of 139 conifer books, both in and out of print, enter the word conifers in the search box at www.Amazon.com.