Books and pamphlets are listed below alphabetically.
Baldwin, Ford L., and Smith, Edwin B., Weeds of Arkansas, A Guide to Identification, published by the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, MP 169 $5 plus shipping.
A good resource for identifying the common natives around your home.
Clark, G. Thomas, Winter Twigs of Arkansas. Published by Rose Publishing Co., ISBN 0-914546-35-X
Moderately technical, some knowledge of technical terms good but still useful for the serious beginner who wants to identify trees in winter. This book is out of print at this time.
Denison, Edgar, Missouri Wildflowers, 4th edition, published by the Missouri Department of Conservation, no ISBN. Library of Congress number 90-621804.
Again not specific to Arkansas, but many Arkansas species are shown. This is an older book and the photography is poor by today’s standards.
Horn, Dennis and Cathcart, Tavia, Wildflowers Of Tennessee, The Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians, published 2005 by Lone Pine Publishing, ISBN 1551054280
The focus is on Tennessee, but the Ohio Valley and Southern Appalachians are covered, encompassing all or parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. 800 color photographs, 96 line drawings, 3 full-color state and region maps.
Hunter, Carl G., Trees, Autumn Leaves & Winter Berries in Arkansas. Published by the Ozark Society, ISBN 0-912456-20-5
A smaller booklet, but with the usual excellent photography and high quality. As many of the photographs of berries and fruits are also shown in Trees, Shrubs, & Vines of Arkansas, it is listed mostly for completeness.
Hunter, Carl G., Trees, Shrubs, & Vines of Arkansas. Published by the Ozark Society, ISBN 0-912456-11-6
The companion book to Wildflowers of Arkansas, equally outstanding. Multiple photographs of many species, to show both leaves and fruits. Also highly recommended, for both beginners and experts.
Hunter, Carl G., Wildflowers of Arkansas, 4th edition. Published by the Ozark Society, ISBN 0-912456-17-5
Highly recommended for beginner or experienced native plant enthusiast. The best wildflower book we’ve ever seen, many superb photographs, well organized.
Kurz, Don, Arkansas Wildflowers, published 2010 by Tim Ernst Publishing, ISBN 9781882906710
A guidebook with color photos & descriptions of more than 400 flowers in “The Natural State” and organized by color.
Kurz, Don, Ozark Wildflowers: A Field Guide to Common Ozark Wildflowers, published 1999 by Falcon Publishing, Inc., ISBN 1-56044-730-3
Highly recommended for beginner or experienced native plant enthusiast. Organized by color.
Moore, Dwight M., Trees of Arkansas, 3rd edition, Issued by the Arkansas Forestry Commission, no ISBN. Library of Congress number 74-622532. Might try college bookstores.
Moderately technical, but useful for serious beginners as well as more experienced enthusiasts. Dwight Moore, in addition to his own publications and books, taught several of the other authors in this list and is one of the giants of Arkansas botany.
Niering, William A. and Olmstead, Nancy C., The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflower, Eastern Region, published by Chanticleer Press (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.), ISBN 0-394-50432-1
Not specific to Arkansas, but many Arkansas species are shown and described. The photography is not as good as the Hunter books but it is a good general reference.
Slaughter, Carl R., Wild Orchids of Arkansas. Publisher unknown, ISBN 0-9638497-0-0
Shows only the 40-odd orchids found in Arkansas. The photographs are full-page and superb. This is a book to keep at home and enjoy – one would never want to risk damaging it by using it in the field.
Smith, Edwin B., An Atlas and Annotated List of the Vascular Plants of Arkansas, 2nd edition. Published independently, no ISBN. Might try college bookstores.
Also somewhat technical, useful mostly for anyone who wants to know in which counties of the state a plant has been spotted.
Smith, Edwin B., Keys to the Flora of Arkansas. Published by the University of Arkansas Press, ISBN 1-55728-312-5
Indispensable for the serious enthusiast or botanist who wishes to key out Arkansas plants, but very technical and not recommended for beginners.
Steyermark, Julian A., Flora of Missouri, 2nd edition, 1996. Published by Iowa State University Press, ISBN 8013806550.
Another book not intended for Arkansas but worthwhile because so many species are found in both Missouri and Arkansas. Rather technical, and more expensive too – probably not for the beginner. Currently listed as “out of stock permanently” by most bookstores, a secondhand copy might be available through used bookstores.
Taylor, W. Carl, Arkansas Ferns and Fern Allies. Published by the Milwaukee Public Museum, ISBN 0-89326-097-5
More technical, as is required for the ferns and related plants. Line drawings, but no photographs. This book is unfortunately out of print but used copies may be available.
