27 March 1999 Gerd Krüssmann
MANUAL OF CULTIVATED CONIFERS
Timber Press, 1985, 361 pages, 455 black-and-white photographs, 231 line drawings
ISBN 0-88192-007-X

Although a little old now (the first German-language edition was published in 1972 and the second, revised edition in 1983), this book is the bible for conifers.

Foreword to the First Edition
Soon after the publication of my three volume Manual of Cultivated Broad-Leaved Trees and Shrubs, I was repeatedly asked to publish a similar work on the conifers. I have responded to this request with great pleasure, since I had already spent many years collecting appropriate material, taking photos and visiting conifer collections (see the list at the end of the book).

Naturally the scope of such a book goes far beyond the common conifers; hence the term "conifers" cannot be taken literally since Taxales, the genera Ginkgo and Ephedra are also covered. As one might presume, there is a vast interest in the tropical and subtropical conifers. What with travel and a growing interest in our environment, more people want to know exactly what can be observed in the vast and varied flora of this planet.

Compared to the broad-leaved woody plants, the number of species, varieties and forms of conifers is much smaller; this book contains descriptions of 569 species and 1807 cultivars, including varieties and hybrids. Included are nearly all the existing species and most of the cultivars. Cultivars not generally cultivated are included if they are occasionally mentioned in the modern literature so that the reader will at least be acquainted with them. [...]

Contents

Hardiness Zones	7
Explanation of Symbols and Abbreviations	12
List of Abbreviations for the Illustration References	12
Systematic Outline of the Modern Gymnosperms, excluding the Cycadales	14
Summary of Characteristics of the Gymnosperms dealt with in this book (Orders, Families, Genera)	16
Alphabetical listing of the Genera: ABIES to WIDDRINGTONIA	27
Outline of the Botanical Terms and their Meaning	335
Key to Coniferous Genera	344
List of the Genera, Species and Forms (including cultivars)	347
Index to Invalid Plant Names	348
Index to Common Names	354
Index to the more prominent Conifer Collections (Pineta)	357

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27 March 1999