Included here that you do not usually see in ‘wildflower’ guides are shrubs, trees, vines, non-showy flowering plants, and a few mushrooms. Tilford’s photographs are excellent. He often shows you more than one photograph per plant to focus in on an important identifying characteristic. Understand that this book is valuable for what it is – an aid to identifying wild ‘edibles’. Because it includes so many plants of differing types, it does not have the room to show look-a-like (related or unrelated) plants – only select edible and medicinal plants.
Abbreviated edibility information is included. He gives only one to four sentences per plant to describe its food uses – giving little or no detail for really successful wild food experiences. It does cover many plants that are rarely found in other edibility guides. Most of the focus is on the western half of North America, but at least 1/2 of the plants or their close relatives can be found elsewhere in the country. Recommended for use in combination with other field guides in a western wild food library!