Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast - by Carol Gracie (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An acclaimed, beautifully illustrated introduction to spring-blooming wildflowers of the northeastern United States and Canada

This exquisitely illustrated volume provides an accessible, in-depth introduction to spring-blooming wildflowers of the northeastern United States and Canada. Featuring more than 500 detailed color photos and a large, beautifully designed format, the book delves into the life histories of more than thirty-five wildflowers and their relatives, from common favorites, such as bloodroot and Jack-in-the-pulpit, to interesting, lesser-known species, including miterwort and featherfoil. Drawing on a wealth of personal experience and the latest scientific research, and presenting it all in terms anyone can understand, acclaimed naturalist and photographer Carol Gracie invites readers to enhance their appreciation of the beauty of these wildflowers by learning not just their names or how many petals they have, but what pollinates them, how their seeds are dispersed, how they interact with other plants and animals, how Native Americans and other people have used them, and other interesting facts.

Each species is illustrated with a range of detailed color photos that not only capture its beauty but illustrate the features discussed in the text and show the plant in its environment alongside the pollinators, herbivores, or seed dispersers with which, in many cases, the wildflower has evolved. Other topics covered include the naming of wildflowers; pathogens and pests; related species in other parts of the world; and wildflowers in history, literature, and art.

Presenting authoritative information in an inviting style, Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast is an ideal volume for wildflower lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, naturalists, students, and more.

• Showcases the most spectacular spring-blooming wildflowers of the northeastern United States and Canada
• Features more than 500 stunning full-color photos
• Covers the life histories, lore, and uses of more than 35 species and their relatives
• Combines the latest scientific research with an easy-to-read style

Features species accounts for these wildflowers:

Baneberries ● Bloodroot ● Blue Cohosh ● Blue-eyed Mary ●Celandines ● Columbine ● Dutchman's Breeches ● Early Meadow-rue ● Early Saxifrage ● False Hellebore ● Featherfoil ● Fire-pink ● Fringed Polygala ● Hepaticas ● Jack-in-the-pulpit ● Lady-slippers ● Lesser Celandine ● Lousewort ● Mayapple ● Miterwort ● One-flowered Cancer-root ● Skunk Cabbage ● Spring Beauties ● Squawroot ● Trilliums ● Trout-lily ● Twinleaf ● Violets ● Virgina Bluebells ● Wild Ginger

Review Quotes

"[An] in-depth reference."---Margaret Roach, The New York Times

"Honorable Mention for the 2012 National Outdoor Book Awards, Nature & Environment Category"

"This is a fabulous, wonderful book that I am delighted to have read and one I will return to again and again. I recommend it to you unreservedly. . . . This book is perfectly relevant [to] us at this side of the Atlantic and it would be a frightful oversight if you miss out on enjoying it."---Paddy Tobin, Irish Garden Plant Society

"Winner of the 2013 Cover/Jacket Merit Award in the Professional, Reference category, New York Book Show"

About the Author

Carol Gracie was a naturalist, photographer, writer, and lecturer who had a special interest in plants and insects. She was the author of Summer Wildflowers of the Northeast: A Natural History (Princeton) and a coauthor of Wildflowers in the Field and Forest: A Field Guide to the Northeastern United States. She also coauthored books on plants of tropical South America. She worked for many years as an educator, research assistant, and tour leader at the New York Botanical Garden. Her work on tropical plant collecting expeditions resulted in several new species being named for her.