BOOK REVIEWS

Palms and Cycads
A complete guide to selecting, growing and propagating

David Squire
Published by New Holland
$NZ49.99

DAVID SQUIRE, as the author of more than 70 plant-related and gardening titles, takes a typically no-nonsense approach in this useful primer.

Opening chapters cover in detail the characteristics of both palms and cycads examining the habit, leaves and fruit and seed of both. There’s information on what to look for when you buy, how to plant and then how to look after your specimen including discussion on the various pests and diseases both may be prone to.

There’s a chapter on propagation, including the challenges of raising cycads from seed. There are detailed listings of various species of palms and cycads and their preferred climatic conditions.

An A-Z of 99 palms and 17 cycads reveals their nature and variation in growth with estimations of the height and spread of the specimens.

Each species is pictured and a fact file accompanies the description – giving growth rate, preferred conditions, germination time and so on.

This hardback, with its clear, large format, should prove popular, particularly with the new enthusiast seeking guidance.

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH