Learning Resources
Guides, Books, Apps, Organizations
Learning plants is a lifelong journey, shaped by time in the field, careful observation, and the guidance of good resources. Over the years, Carrie has built her knowledge through extensive reading, participation in botanical organizations, and countless hours exploring forests, fields, and gardens. The recommendations gathered here reflect many of the tools and communities that have supported her learning along the way.
Use the buttons below to jump to different sections of the page and explore Carrie’s recommended field guides, books, phone apps, and botanical organizations. Whether you're just beginning or continuing to deepen your knowledge, these resources can help you learn more about the plants growing around you.
Field Guides
Field guides are among the most useful tools for learning plant identification. Carrie regularly encourages students to carry field guides into the woods, compare multiple sources, and use them as companions for observation rather than simply as books to read at home.
Below are field guides that Carrie has found particularly helpful over the years. Whether you're learning your first trees or refining more advanced identification skills, these resources can help you build confidence and deepen your understanding of the plants around you.
Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast
A unique field guide that focuses on bark rather than leaves. Excellent for winter tree identification and for learning to recognize trees year-round using bark characteristics, photographs, and illustrations.
Common Forest Trees of North Carolina
A compact, easy-to-use pocket guide covering many of North Carolina's most common tree species. Ideal for beginners, hikers, landowners, and anyone wanting a quick field reference.
Peterson Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs
A classic field guide covering hundreds of trees and shrubs. Detailed illustrations, range maps, and identification keys make it a valuable reference for both beginners and experienced naturalists.
Peterson First Guide to Trees
A simplified introduction to tree identification designed for beginners and younger learners. Clear illustrations and straightforward explanations make it an excellent starting point.
The Tree Identification Book
An innovative guide that organizes trees by easily observed characteristics, allowing readers to compare similar species side-by-side. Particularly useful for developing pattern-recognition skills.
Winter Tree Finder
A classic winter identification guide that uses a simple branching key to identify deciduous trees by buds, twigs, and leaf scars. Compact, practical, and widely recommended.
Books
Books can take plant learning beyond identification, opening up the stories, ecology, language, and history behind the plants we encounter. They give learners a way to slow down, compare ideas, and deepen their understanding long after a walk or class has ended.
Below are books that Carrie has found especially valuable in her own learning. Some are practical references, while others offer broader perspectives that can enrich how you see trees, plants, and the landscapes they shape.
A Natural History of North American Trees
A classic work of nature writing that blends botanical information with history, ecology, folklore, and cultural context. Rather than serving only as an identification guide, it tells the larger stories of North America’s trees and their relationships with people and landscapes.
Illustrated Guide to Trees and Shrubs
A clear, practical guide to woody plants of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, including trees, shrubs, and vines. Its keys use visible traits such as leaves, twigs, bark, buds, seeds, stems, and fruit, making it useful in both growing season and winter.
Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary
A highly useful illustrated glossary that explains the specialized vocabulary used in botany and plant identification. Its clear drawings and definitions help readers understand the technical terms often found in field guides, floras, and plant descriptions.
Phone Apps
Modern technology has made plant learning more accessible than ever. While Carrie still believes that careful observation and time in the field are the best teachers, phone apps can be valuable tools for identification, record-keeping, and continued learning.
Below are several apps that Carrie recommends. They can help you identify plants, track your observations, connect with other naturalists, and explore the remarkable diversity of species growing around you.
Flora of Virginia
A mobile version of the acclaimed Flora of Virginia reference. Provides detailed species descriptions, photographs, range information, and identification tools for thousands of plants.
FloraQuest
An interactive plant identification app that uses visual clues and guided questions to help users identify plants in the field. Designed to make plant identification more approachable for beginners.
iNaturalist
One of the most popular nature identification apps available. Users can photograph plants, receive identification suggestions, and connect with a global community of naturalists and experts.
Organizations
Learning about plants is often more enjoyable—and more engaging—when it’s shared with others. Alongside her own study, Carrie has benefited from participating in plant walks, classes, and botanical groups over the years.
Below are organizations she's affiliated with or recommends. Becoming involved with these organizations connects you with a community of fellow learners, experienced teachers, and mentors—people who can deepen your understanding and enrich your experience over time.
