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Collins Gem Trees: How to Identify the Most Common Species
The unrivalled beginner's guide to identifying the most common species of tree in northern Europe. This is the perfect pocket guide for anyone who wants to identify those deciduous or evergreen species they may come across on hill or in dale, in the town or in the countryside. For each tree included in the book, there is a wealth of both textual and visual identification information. Remarkably detailed illustrations show not only the overall shape of the tree but also details of leaf shape, flowers, fruits, and bark. There's also information on the origin of each species, its height, preferred habitat, and growing conditions. Illustrations of cones, catkins, nuts, and fruits allow you to distinguish between similar species at a glance. The introduction covers the life cycle of trees, the establishment of woodland, people's relationship with forests, and how to go about identifying trees, plus the all-important question—what exactly is a tree?
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 2, 2017
I love being outside and walking/running through nature. It’s the inner romantic in me. I love scenery and green environments. So I decided to learn a little bit more about trees.
And this really is a good little guide. It’s not the sort of thing you read from cover to cover, but a point of reference if you want to identify a tree on your travels. You can do this by matching the foliage (leaves) with the images in the book and then narrowing it down further by looking at the colour of the leaves and cross-examining the results with the bark of the tree. Moreover, the book is tiny so it can easily be squeezed into a jacket pocket. It’s really quite handy to take out with you on a walk through a forest or nature park.
Some parts may have been more effective if photographs were used instead of illustrations, but I suppose getting images of all the tress in here would be an absolute massive task to undertake. It would require intensive traveling to and a budget that such a book wouldn’t afford. Also, clear distinctions between what the book defines as “light green” and “dark green” may have been helpful. Overall, it’s a good guide and achieves what it sets out to do.
And this really is a good little guide. It’s not the sort of thing you read from cover to cover, but a point of reference if you want to identify a tree on your travels. You can do this by matching the foliage (leaves) with the images in the book and then narrowing it down further by looking at the colour of the leaves and cross-examining the results with the bark of the tree. Moreover, the book is tiny so it can easily be squeezed into a jacket pocket. It’s really quite handy to take out with you on a walk through a forest or nature park.
Some parts may have been more effective if photographs were used instead of illustrations, but I suppose getting images of all the tress in here would be an absolute massive task to undertake. It would require intensive traveling to and a budget that such a book wouldn’t afford. Also, clear distinctions between what the book defines as “light green” and “dark green” may have been helpful. Overall, it’s a good guide and achieves what it sets out to do.
February 25, 2026
Great and handy little guide on how to identify common species of tree. Super interesting to get into and provides an explanation for how tree identification is usually carried out.
Good illustrations and straight to the point details about each tree.
It was really useful for me to do a bit of additional research whilst reading and using this book as a companion. I learned that quite a lot (if not most) trees are poisonous to us if consumed, but some fruits are edible like the Common Cherry, Black Mulberry, Elder Tree fruit once cooked, Pears, Apples, Oranges. What was most interesting is that Cherry Laurel leaves, when crushed, produce cyanide and I just thought that was interesting. The Laburnum tree also is highly poisonous. Maybe I have been reading too much The Apothecary Diaries and it just hooked to my brain!
Trees are gorgeous and complex and wonderful! So amazing we co-exist with so many different species and varieties.
Good illustrations and straight to the point details about each tree.
It was really useful for me to do a bit of additional research whilst reading and using this book as a companion. I learned that quite a lot (if not most) trees are poisonous to us if consumed, but some fruits are edible like the Common Cherry, Black Mulberry, Elder Tree fruit once cooked, Pears, Apples, Oranges. What was most interesting is that Cherry Laurel leaves, when crushed, produce cyanide and I just thought that was interesting. The Laburnum tree also is highly poisonous. Maybe I have been reading too much The Apothecary Diaries and it just hooked to my brain!
Trees are gorgeous and complex and wonderful! So amazing we co-exist with so many different species and varieties.
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April 10, 2020If you want to be able to identify the trees you see around you and appreciate the differences between them this is an ideal pocket sized guide.
January 5, 2016
This book is well-illustrated, which is a great help when you need to learn some precise tree-related vocabulary and need to know what looks like what, eg various kinds of cones, leaves, catkins, winged fruit, etc. For example, on pages 18-19 you will find a clear visual summary of the differences between lobed, pinnate, forked and palmate leaves, whereas on pages 26-27 you will see a neat assortment of cones, all labelled. Personally, I was surprised to learn that there are so many different kinds of acorns (pp 116-117) and catkins (pp 80-81) out there.
December 27, 2022
A constant companion on my long commutes to and from work. Because this guide is so tiny, it fits perfectly even in my coat pockets. The illustrations are vibrant and well done. The information is generally what you would find in a tree guidebook. It has brief introductory pages at the beginning, for your understanding of the context of trees. Overall, it is one I re-read over and over, and take along just to flip through the illustrations and test myself on the correct tree ID.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews