Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes

Native plant gardeners value wildflower guides to help accurately identify native plant genera and species grown in a specific region. For gardeners in the upper Midwest region and parts of southern Ontario, Canada, Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region: A Comprehensive Field Guide by authors Merel R. Black and Emmet J. Judziewicz is a useful resource. It is a small soft cover book easily able to be carried in a backpack or out in the field.

Wildflowers of Wisconsin Resources

In this second edition published March 20, 2009, an introduction to the five natural communities in the badger state has been added. The forests, savannas, prairies, wetlands and primary communities sections each have a summary of the soil types and locations in Wisconsin. Every community section has a sample of the trees, shrubs and common and rare wildflowers found there.

Most of the field guide is composed of more than 1,100 plant descriptions including identification guides, small photos and plant keys with a distribution map. Color photographs and plant drawings compliment the other botanical references, glossaries and index listing with its Latin and common plant names at the back of the book.

Plant Identification Keys

Plant identification keys are especially helpful for beginning gardeners. The plant keys include the glossary of flower and plant parts and botanical terminology. For example, the flower and leaf shapes, leaf arrangements, edges and divisions help distinguish one closely resembling plant from another.

Each plant description has a variety of detailed color photos and pencil drawings that further helps identify genera and species. The state range icon shows where plants are found in Wisconsin, located in the back of the book the larger Wisconsin map page is labeled with the state county names.

Wisconsin Authors Black and Judziewicz

Merel R. Black manages the Plants of Wisconsin web site that is part of the Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Black has been an honorary fellow in botany at the University of Wisconsin at the Madison and at the Stevens Point campuses.

Emmet J. Judziewicz is an associate professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Judziewicz is also curator of vascular plants at the Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium.

Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region

Written by Merel R. Black and Emmet J. Judziewicz, Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region: A Comprehensive Field Guide was published by University of Wisconsin Press, March 20, 2009. The book has 320 pages filled with 2100 color photos, 300 drawings, and 1085 range maps. Native plant gardeners or any reader interested in this field guide can use ISBN 978-0-299-23-54-8 to locate this soft cover book.

A resource book with wildflower information focused on a particular region is a useful tool for gardeners. Native plant gardeners can add what they learn out in the field to their garden journal, another useful tool.