Books useful for identification

A wide range of books on bamboos is now available. The selection presented below are up to date and the identification of species is satisfactory, which is not always the case, especially in older books that have been reprinted. These books cover the more widely cultivated species of horticultural importance. As well as getting most of the names right, these books can tell you how to plant and grow and care for hardy and tropical bamboo plants. The information in them complements the more technical botanical information being made available on this website. Books also have a lovely solid feel and smell that information on the internet cannot provide.

Check out these books or other products at Amazon to find out more about them. Paste or type a book title into the search box. Some books have previews. If you choose to buy them through these links from Amazon.com (for delivery in USA, Australia etc.) or from Amazon.co.uk (for delivery in UK) you will also help to support this site. Over the last 5 years this has earnt the website referral fees of $15.29 and £0.70!

 Bamboo for Gardens

  Ted Jordan Meredith (2001). Timber Press

   Comprehensive background with descriptions of most bamboos in the US

 Hardy Bamboos: Taming the Dragon

  Paul Whittaker (2005). Timber Press

   Introduction to temperate bamboos with descriptions of species in the UK

 The Gardener's Guide to Growing Temperate Bamboo

  Michael Bell (2000). Timber Press

  Introduction to cultivation with descriptions of bamboos in the UK

 Bamboo World

  Victor Cusack & Deirdre Stewart (2000). Simon & Schuster (Australia)

   Bamboos in Australia

 Bamboos

  Christine Recht, Max F. Wetterwald (1992). Timber Press

   Bamboos in Europe

  American Bamboos

  Emmet J. Judziewicz, et al. (1999). Smithsonian Books, US

   Technical account of bamboos native to the American Continents

 Bamboo World: Clumping Bamboos & How to Use Them

  Victor Cusak & Deidre Stewart (1999). Kangaroo Press

   Cultivation of tropical bamboos in Australia

 Bamboos of Bhutan

  Chris Stapleton (1994). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

  Field guide to species in Bhutan

 Bamboos of Nepal

  Chris Stapleton (1994). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

   Field guide to species in Nepal  PDF

 The Bamboos of the World: Annotated Nomenclature and Literature

 of the Species and the Higher and Lower Taxa

   Dieter Ohrnberger (1999). Elsevier

    A very thorough reference work on names and synonymy (no descriptions)

My two field guides to the Bamboos of Nepal and Bamboos of Bhutan will be available for purchase on CD when I have converted the files. This will allow updating of names and details and the inclusion of photographs. Canes are also being added to the Bhutan guide.