Product Description

Cacti flourish in the most exotic and arid places on earth, yet many of these plants are easy to care for and have a forgiving nature. This book details the techniques needed to keep cacti and succulents healthy and beautiful. The clear instructions and stunning step-by-step photographs and illustrations help ensure that even beginners approach growing cacti and succulents with confidence. An extensive directory of major cacti and succulents is included.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1538124 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Customer Reviews

Good care manual
This book is divided into two sections:

(1) An informative and detailed section on care, propagation, and pests. There is also information on "myths and urban legends". The section on "pests" includes the types of pest and how to control/prevent them.

(2) The second section is a plant directory of all the types of cactus and succulent plants. There are beautiful photos and descriptions of each type.

The information in this book is fairly detailed and covers most of the things you need to know about selecting, growing and caring for these plants. The authors of this book specialize in cactus and succulents, so they have a passion for the subject. (and aren't just writing a run-of-the-mill book). After reading their credentials, I would really trust any info in this book.

Not only is this book informative, but the photographs are spectacular. Lots of beautiful pictures of cactus in natural settings.

I definitely recommend this book as a detailed reference book for anyone interested in collecting and growing cactus and succulents.

Good Beginners Guide
I feel that this book is geared more towards the beginner and in that respect it does a very good job. Everything a newcomer to the hobby is likely to need to know is there, well written and photographed. Even in a book geared towards helping the less experienced grower, new things can be learned by the "so called experts." There is a good though limited selection of plants and all the necessary information regarding their care and propagation. One minor irritation to me and not just aimed at this particular book, is why authors assume that their readership will automatically be interested in both true cacti and the other succulents and vice versa. They are I suppose trying to get two books into one and sometimes they fail on both counts.

Not for those in Southwest US
I was disappointed in this book. I was hoping to find information about growing succulents outside in Arizona. This plant is geared toward those in colder climates who want to grow plants in pots that can be moved in or out depending on the weather.

Also, the information provided is very generalized toward succulents as a whole. If you are looking for specific information about a particular species, you won't find it here. Probably a good book for beginners who are looking for general information.