Hi, I was wanting to add to my plant book collection.

I have the Hosta Handbook and the Book on Little Hosta. I am open to suggestions or recommendations.
Thanks!

Teresa

Hostapedia by Zillis is a good one.

There are a number and the three mentioned above are very good and among the most recent. The Color Encyclopedia of Hostas is a nice reference that sorts by the colour. But even the best of these are now getting fairly old and with hundreds of new hostas being registered every year, they get our of date very quickly. Stay away from the Paul Aden Hosta Book because Paul has been shown to have fraudulently registered many hostas under his name that were, in fact, stolen from others. So while there's some good basic info in it, there's also a lot that is no longer valid.

If you get the Hostapedia by Zillis, be sure to shore up the book shelf😀. What would be nice is an ID logic tree, but like Ann said, hundreds are being registered each year.

crawgarden said:If you get the Hostapedia by Zillis, be sure to shore up the book shelf😀.

Ah yes. It's DEFINITELY not a LAP book. And it won't leave much space on the coffee table. But a very good book. I've got a whole shelf full of books, but I rarely look at them anymore because there's so much information online with the Hosta Library, the My Hostas Database, The Hosta Registry, the Delaware Valley Hosta Society and many others.

https://www.americanhostasocie...
books recommended by AHS.

Thanks everyone, I am just old school and in the winter I love curing up with a good book and a cup of tea or coffee. Now that we have been in the 90s for days, even a bit of snow sounds good

ViolaAnn said:Stay away from the Paul Aden Hosta Book because Paul has been shown to have fraudulently registered many hostas under his name that were, in fact, stolen from others. So while there's some good basic info in it, there's also a lot that is no longer valid.

Ann I read the low down on Paul Aden at the Hosta Library and I had my mouth hanging open at least 3/4 of the time I was reading. Of the unmitigated gall! I just kept shaking my head in disbelief. I have read of a few instances of stealing in the daylily world and also a hybridizer smuggling cocaine but I guess I have known those stories for awhile and the impact isn't as fresh.

Wolfram George Schmid takes hostas to a very serious degree in his book "The Genus Hosta." NJBob provides a link to books recommended by the American Hosta Society and Mr. Schmid's book is one of those listed. Their review summarizes the book quite well:
"The Genus HOSTA, W. George Schmid,1991, hardbound
Timber Press, 133 S. W. Second Avenue, Portland, OR 97204, USA
428pp.

A truly comprehensive scientific and horticultural study of the genus hosta. The largest part of the book is devoted to detailed descriptions of all species, varieties, forms, and registered/non-registered cultivars. Professional horticulturists and hosts enthusiasts will appreciate this first-ever comprehensive classification system listing approximately 3500 names and synonyms including 300 Japanese names printed in kana. Also included is information on care and cultivation, propagation and hybridization, landscape uses, and pests and diseases. This book is a definite reference work."