Flower Field Guide

Chamomile

Flower field guides are a great way to explore nature while hiking or even just taking a stroll in your neighborhood. There are flower field guides that list the most common flowers found in various climate zones and there are those that focus on a very specific region or a particular city. Some flower field guides narrow down their listings by color or species.

Listing by Color

In order to be user friendly, most flower field guides organize their listing by the color of the flowers. The guides will sometimes also provide a photograph of the flowers in full bloom or detailed drawings. It is important to remember that the same flower may bloom in different colors, and this will be noted in the guide.

Listing by Name

Most plants have two names, the scientific name and the common name. Scientific names are harder to memorize, but they can give you clues as to what family and species the flowers might belong to. These clues are most useful if you are familiar with Latin names of plants.

Common names, on the other hand, will also give you clues about a flower; for example, marigold is the common name for Calendula officinalis, and it hints to the color of the blooms.

Flower Field Guides by Region

If you will be hiking or visiting a very specific region, your best option is to reference a flower field guide that is regional. The Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico is an example of an organization that has put together a regional flower field guide pertinent to its desert landscape.

Flower Field Guide by Species

Certain flower field guides are organized by species, such as the guide put together by the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. These guides are usually intended for scientific research of the flora of a specific sate or region. If you are identifying flowers as a hobby, you may want to start with an easy-to-use guide that is organized by color. Once you become familiar with common traits between different species, you can graduate to a field guide that lists flowers by species.

Flowering Trees Field Guide

Many trees flower during their specific pollinating season, and some flower field guides are specifically designed to identify the flowers that bloom on trees. Usually these field guides will also contain a good amount of information on the tree itself, but the main feature is the flowers. Examples of flowering trees are the cherry blossom or the dogwood tree.

References

• Desert USA: Wildflower Field Guide
• Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge: Field Guide to Flowers
• Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Midwestern Wetland Flora