Tree Identification

[Bayou Chet]

I Just moved to NE Louisiana after 37 years in tree business in Southern California. I need to get up to speed on tree identification in the SE USA. Can anyone out there recommend the best books or book to help me with this? I probably need a comprehensive reference to use at home and a smaller one (probably soft cover) for the field. It should contain fairly complete ID keys. I'd like the reference to have color photos, but the field guide can have drawings if they're accurate. I'm asking too much aren't I? Thanks, Bayou Chet

 

[Dixie1]

this is a very handy field guide to tree id and cheap

http://www.arborday.org/Shopping/Merchandise/MerchDetail.cfm?id=14

 

[PB]

I Just moved to NE Louisiana after 37 years in tree business in Southern California. I need to get up to speed on tree identification in the SE USA. Can anyone out there recommend the best books or book to help me with this? I probably need a comprehensive reference to use at home and a smaller one (probably soft cover) for the field. It should contain fairly complete ID keys. I'd like the reference to have color photos, but the field guide can have drawings if they're accurate. I'm asking too much aren't I? Thanks, Bayou Chet

I would stay away from the Audubon field guides. The pictures are okay but don't give very good identification tools. I like the Peterson's field guides better. If you can find one with a dichotomous key in the front, go with that one. The key will make it easier to identify species within the same genus. For a reference book, I don't know of any for that area off the top of my head. I would look at the LSU cooperative extension website for any books they may have published.

 

[ATH]

Here is a link to my links page". I have my favorite web resources. There are several good online keys. They are more targetted at woodland trees, but good ID sites any anynow. Virginia Tech and Ohio Public Library sites are probably the best dichotomous keys.

 

[Bayou Chet]

Tree ID

Thank you Dixie 1, Plant Bio & ATH for your replies & suggestions. I'll probably pursue all three. Bayou Chet ~8>)