Trees of Eastern North America

Gil Nelson is a botanist and the coauthor of the National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America and the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southeastern States. Christopher J. Earle is an ecologist whose specialties include forest ecology and conifer biology. Richard Spellenberg, a botanist and specialist in plant taxonomy, is the author of the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers, Western Region. David More is regarded as one of the finest botanical illustrators in the world. He has illustrated a number of tree guides, including the acclaimed Collins Tree Guide and The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Trees (Princeton).

Winner of the 2015 PROSE Award in Outstanding Work by a Trade Publisher, Association of American "Covering more species (630 in the West, 825 in the East) than any comparable field guides, Trees of Western North America and Trees of Eastern North America are the most comprehensive, best illustrated, and easiest-to-use books of their kind. The book features thousands of meticulous color paintings by David More and easy-to-read descriptions present details of size, shape, growth habit, bark, leaves, flowers, fruit, habitat, and range. With an unmatched combination of breadth and depth, these are essential guides for every tree lover."--James A. Baggett, Better Homes and Gardens "Each volume on its own would serve you well in getting to know the trees around you better. Both together certainly provide a more complete understanding of the diversity of North American trees. I already treasure my two-volume set and expect to wear it out quickly."--Guy Sternberg, American Gardener "Highly recommended for botany reference shelves!"--James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review "Excellent additions to any botanical library."--Steve Whysall, Vancouver Sun "A great book... Similar to a bird guide, trees are broken down by families with detailed descriptions of each. Habitat and ranges are listed for each as well as great illustrations of the tree, its bark, leaves and fruit."--David Lewis, Birds from Behind "Help! I need a good tree book ... and again Princeton has come to my rescue. This newest book on the trees of eastern North America is a life-saver. Covering 825 species of trees, it is by far the most inclusive of all guides on the market today... Wish I had found this great book sooner!"--North Durham Nature Newsletter "The book is attractively designed, and each species description provides scientific and common names; a handy 'Quick ID' sentence; detailed, terse physical description; sections titled 'Habitat/Range' and 'Similar Species'; and a range map... [An] excellent reference."--Choice "These new references offer up-to-date information as well as a treasure trove of specially commissioned drawings showcasing trees both in their majestic entirety as well as in stunning, separate close-ups detailing their bark, leaves, flowers, and fruit. Such comprehensive works are impressive scholarly achievements, providing lay users with helpful assistance via 'Quick ID' summaries and range maps within entries. These are lush botanical resources from an esteemed source guaranteed to please all audiences."--Judy Quinn, Library Journal "These volumes are masterfully designed, and More's exquisitely detailed renderings will ensure that weekend botanists never mistake their Hercules' club for a common hoptree."--Bill Cannon, Scientist's Bookshelf "Astonishing... The illustrations in the Princeton tree volume are superb: colorful, accurate, and appealing."--Ed Kanze, Adirondack Explorer "Even if you don't love trees, you'll love these books."--Devorah Bennu, GrrlScientist, The Guardian "Without a doubt, this is a book that should be on the library shelf of every person interested in Georgia trees. Even better, it should be in all of our packs, right next to the hiking stick, ready to go!"--Hal Massie, BotSoc News (Georgia Botanical Society) "Whether you're faced with a saguaro or a sequoia, a hawthorn or a hemlock, this easy guide will surely get you to the birch in time."--Matthew Bettelheim, (bio)accumulation blog "With the publication of Trees of Western North America and its companion volume, Trees of Eastern North America, we have a reference set that will serve us well for generations."--Acorn, South Sound Chapter of Washington Native Plant Society "Everyone who ventures into the outdoors should have a copy in their backpack."--Frank Sousa, MassLive "These two volumes contain so much information; I would be happy to add them to my reference library... The combined effort of the three authors and the illustrator has produced an excellent reference."--Beverly Duncan, Botanical Artist "For anyone interested in tree-like plants in the West, the Trees of Western North America is it, ... proclaiming itself to be the most comprehensive, best illustrated, and easiest-to-use book of its kind... Overall, this book makes the grade 'A' in nearly every aspect of presentation; it is tremendously useful, navigable, readable, highly accurate and immensely informative."--George M. Ferguson, Arizona Native Plant Society "[I]f someone gave you these two companion books, the Princeton Field Guides' Trees of Eastern North America and Trees of Western North America, you would perform an internal cartwheel of glee over adding to your flourishing tree ID book collection. The cartwheeling would significantly increase once you then began to use these books and grasped their simple, informative layout... This will be the one tree ID book that really does not sit on your shelves as much as it rides around from jobsite to jobsite with you, ready to serve."--Tchukki Andersen, Tree Care Industry "This is a must have tree guide for naturalists, environmental educators, foresters , and individuals who want to learn more about the trees in our region."--DRK, Wildlife Activist

• Introduction 7 About This Book 7 Taxonomy and Names 8 Gymnosperms and Angiosperms 8 Tree Biology 9 Forest Structure 18 Leaf and Twig Keys 19 Winter Twigs of Selected Eastern Trees 20 Key to the Gymnosperms by Leaf Type 25 Key to Selected Angiosperm Trees by Leaf Shape 26 THE TREES Gymnosperms 34 Conifers 34 Ginkgoaceae: Ginkgo Family 35 Araucariaceae: Araucaria Family 36 Cupressaceae: Cypress Family 38 Pinaceae: Pine Family 51 Taxaceae: Yew Family 78 Angiosperms 80 Monocots 80 Arecaceae: Palm Family 80 Dicots 98 Acanthaceae: Acanthus Family 98 Adoxaceae: Moschatel Family 99 Altingiaceae: Sweetgum Family 106 Anacardiaceae: Cashew Family 108 Annonaceae: Custard Apple Family 118 Apocynaceae: Oleander Family 122 Aquifoliaceae: Holly Family 126 Araliaceae: Ginseng Family 142 Asteraceae: Aster Family 146 Betulaceae: Birch Family 147 Bignoniaceae: Bignonia Family 166 Boraginaceae: Borage Family 174 Burseraceae: Torchwood Family 178 Cactaceae: Cactus Family 180 Canellaceae: Wild Cinnamon Family 180 Cannabaceae: Hemp Family 182 Capparaceae: Caper Family 188 Casuarinaceae: She-oak Family 190 Cecropiaceae: Cecropia Family 192 Celastraceae: Staff Tree Family 193 Cercidiphyllaceae: Katsura Tree Family 202 Chrysobalanaceae: Coco Plum Family 203 Clethraceae: Witch Alder Family 204 Clusiaceae: Garcinia Family 205 Combretaceae: White Mangrove Family 208 Cornaceae: Dogwood Family 214 Cyrillaceae: Titi Family 222 Ebenaceae: Ebony Family 224 Elaeagnaceae: Oleaster Family 226 Ericaceae: Heath Family 228 Euphorbiaceae: Spurge Family 236 Fabaceae: Bean or Pea Family 248 Fagaceae: Beech or Oak Family 294 Hamamelidaceae: Witch-hazel Family 350 Illiciaceae: Star Anise Family 352 Juglandaceae: Walnut Family 353 Lauraceae: Laurel Family 368 Leitneriaceae: Corkwood Family 378 Lythraceae: Loosestrife Family 379 Magnoliaceae: Magnolia Family 380 Malpighiaceae: Malpighia Family 391 Malvaceae: Mallow Family 392 Melastomataceae: Melastome Family 402 Meliaceae: Mahogany Family 403 Moraceae: Mulberry Family 406 Moringaceae: Horseradish-tree Family 418 Muntingiaceae: Muntingia Family 418 Myoporaceae: Myoporum Family 420 Myricaceae: Wax Myrtle Family 420 Myrsinaceae: Myrsine Family 424 Myrtaceae: Myrtle Family 426 Nyctaginaceae: Four-o'clock Family 444 Nyssaceae: Tupelo Family 446 Oleaceae: Olive Family 450 Paulowniaceae: Princesstree Family 466 Picramniaceae: Bitterbush Family 468 Pittosporaceae: Cheesewood Family 469 Platanaceae: Planetree Family 470 Polygonaceae: Buckwheat Family 472 Proteaceae: Protea Family 474 Punicaceae: Pomegranate Family 475 Rhamnaceae: Buckthorn Family 476 Rhizophoraceae: Red Mangrove Family 488 Rosaceae: Rose Family 489 Rubiaceae: Madder Family 562 Rutaceae: Citrus or Rue Family 572 Salicaceae: Willow Family 586 Sapindaceae: Soapberry Family 618 Sapotaceae: Sapodilla Family 646 Schoepfiaceae: Schoepfia Family 658 Simaroubaceae: Quassia Family 659 Solanaceae: Nightshade Family 661 Staphyleaceae: Bladdernut Family 665 Styracaceae: Storax Family 666 Symplocaceae: Sweetleaf Family 670 Tamaricaceae: Tamarisk Family 672 Theaceae: Tea Family 676 Theophrastaceae: Joewood Family 680 Ulmaceae: Elm Family 682 Verbenaceae: Vervain Family 692 Ximeniaceae: Ximenia Family 696 Zygophyllaceae: Caltrop Family 698 Acknowledgments 700 Abbreviations 701 Glossary 702 Index of Species 707