Recommended Books On Tropical
And Subtropical Plants

I own all of the books in the following list and highly recommend all of them.

Books On Tropical and Subtropical Gardening
Fruits of Warm Climates Hardcover Julia F. Morton	One of the best known and most respected books on growing tropical and subtropical fruit. There are many plants in this one that most of us have never heard of. Julia Morton spent her life studying this subject and is undoubtedly one of the world's experts. Surprisingly, it is very hard to get a hold of a printed version of this book. Even though it is expensive, this book is worth the money if you are really getting serious about tropical gardening. It even contains a lot of information on growing fruits commercially. Even though you can find a lot of information on the web, there is no replacement for a good book that you can relax on the couch with. Fruits Of Warm Climates is available on Amazon.
Fruits of Warm Climates CD-ROM Julia F. Morton	The CD Rom version of Julia Morton's well respected book (see above).
Citrus Varieties Of The World James Saunt	I purchased this book when I was investigating which citrus trees to buy for my yard. It is the most comprehensive book on citrus varieties I have encountered. Answered in this book are many interesting questions such as: Why do South Americans use the word lemon to describe limes? Is there really a difference between Nagami and Miewa kumquats? What type of citrus is a tangerine? This book does not cover a whole lot on citrus care so you might want to combine it with the Walheim book below. Citrus Varieties Of The Worlds is available on Amazon.
The Western Gardening Handbook 2001 Edition	A very good book that covers almost anything you can imagine buying at a nursery. Tropical plants are covered in here but the information is too summary in many cases. Also, the book is geared towards the California coast even though they make a very good attempt to classify other zones. Regardless, this is a great book and a must for any serious gardener. Any of its flaws can be explained by the fact that the authors are attempting to write a book that covers all of the western states, plus Hawaii. Considering the enormous range of climates involved they are taking on an almost impossible task but still do a first class job. This latest addition also has color pictures for each entry, a nice improvement. A final note, many of the tropical plants that they say will not make it in Phoenix will make it, so don't believe everything you read.
All About Citrus And Subtropical Fruit	Nice book with pretty pictures and lots of well organized useful information. It really does a good job of covering subtropical and tropicals without overwhelming you. Probably the best starter book out of all of these listed if your interest is beyond just citrus. Furthermore, this book really makes me hungry. As usual it is somewhat geared towards coastal California. Just adjust your thinking to convert the term "full sun" to "afternoon shade" and you've made the conversion to Arizona. Of course there are some fruit that are a challenge to near impossible to grow in Arizona, like avocado's. That's why you still need a good local site like Phoenix Tropicals. All About Citrus And Subtropical Fruit is available on Amazon.
Citrus, Complete Guide to Selecting and Growing Lance Walheim	This book is a good study of many of the citrus varieties plus very good planting and care information. Lots of pretty pictures that will make you hungry. Another book geared toward California, but when it comes to citrus the differences between Arizona and California are smaller than they are with other subtropicals and tropicals. Keep in mind that citrus tastes better coming from our hot desert than from the California coast or even the central Valley. At least I think so, no matter what Lance says.

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