Plant & Tree ID-ing

G

grateful_fred

Joined
Jul 15, 2008
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Man there is a lot to learn before TSHTF.

In order to succesfully live off the grid knowing plants and trees ( amongst other things ) is a must. Medicinal value of plants and trees and the knowledge to use them cannot be overstated.
Once you realize the ubundance of this resource and the resources in nature in general its makes you wonder how the hell we wound up living in structures that require non-renewable energy sources.

Anyhow I have using 4 books/guides to help with the plants and trees.
i have been spending a lot of time in the woods taking pictures and creating my own library to ID.

1. TB jrs Field Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal plants.
This is not a ID guide... instead it details the uses of about 50 plants/trees. As usual TB gets into the spiritual stuff but still very valuable info.

2. TB jrs Field Guide to Wilderness Survival.
The plants chapter is full of info and can be used as a crude ID guide as there are drawings and detailed descriptions of the plants.

3. Petersons Guide to edible wild plants.
This book covers tress as well. Great ID guide.

4. Tress of the Carolinas.
Super ID guide!! Pics of leaves, pods/buds, flowers and bark. General descriptions. But the color pics of all the different aspects of the tress is really helpful.

DSCF0740.jpg
 
grateful_fred said:
Anyhow I have using 4 books/guides to help with the plants and trees.
i have been spending a lot of time in the woods taking pictures and creating my own library to ID.
Click to expand...

Hey Fred, creating your own library is an excellent idea. Let me offer a couple of suggestions that might save you a lot of work down the road.

I took a book of wild edibles and typed in all the information on my computer. I could have scanned it (if I had a scanner) but I wanted to tailor it to my personal requirements.

I created a format that works best for me. Included is technological uses, any cautions that may be applicable, medicinal applications, other common names, binomial, seasons for edibility, bibliographic references (useful when you want to look up the information again or when somebody asks, "Where did you see that?"), common look alikes, poisonous look-alikes, any legend or lore applicable, etc. Also, when technological uses are noted, they are hyperlinked to relevant pictures. For example, under Cattail, I list basket making and when you click on it, it takes you to a folder of pictures of Cattail baskets that I made.

It all started when I created a slide show of Spring wild edibles. I thought this would be a good tool for plant ID. Once I did that, I thought why not do all seasons? Then I thought, why not add the food, medicine, poison, and technological uses and it went from there.

Originally, I downloaded pictures from the internet, but I am working on replacing them with my own pictures. When you do this, it's a good idea to make sure you take pictures of the identifying features, such as the warts on Elderberry trunks. Each document is hyperlinked to the folder with the relevant pictures.

So what I have now, is an ongoing data base. When I come across some new information about a particular plant, I add it, along with a reference to the source. It'll never get finished in my lifetime, but it's fun and informative to do.

If you have any questions, feel free. I can email you a sample sheet if you're interested.

Doc
 
Many (including myself) believe plants and trees are the foundation of primitive living, and taking some additional liberty here... survival. Fire, Shelter, Tools, Medicine and Food. Knowing what is the right species for a certain application is empowering. To add to Docs great advice, I strongly suggest finding ID books with an introduction and/or section on "How to Study" trees. Learning the basics regarding ID first will lay down a foundation that will aid you in learning more quickly and soundly.


grateful_fred said:
Man there is a lot to learn before TSHTF.

In order to succesfully live off the grid knowing plants and trees ( amongst other things ) is a must. Medicinal value of plants and trees and the knowledge to use them cannot be overstated.
Once you realize the ubundance of this resource and the resources in nature in general its makes you wonder how the hell we wound up living in structures that require non-renewable energy sources.
Click to expand...

To put a different perspective on plants as food; I consider it just as important, if not more, to know the plants animals eat; as plants are the things real food eat. John and Geri McPherson's second book, "Naked into the Wilderness - 2; Primitive Wilderness Skills, Applied and Advanced," does an excellent job explaining this and in conjunction with their first book, make a great compliment to a library full of tree/plant ID books for when the TSHTF. Be careful with some of those other books -- keep it real. Peace, Chris
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Hey Fred, creating your own library is an excellent idea. Let me offer a couple of suggestions that might save you a lot of work down the road.

I took a book of wild edibles and typed in all the information on my computer. I could have scanned it (if I had a scanner) but I wanted to tailor it to my personal requirements.

I created a format that works best for me. Included is technological uses, any cautions that may be applicable, medicinal applications, other common names, binomial, seasons for edibility, bibliographic references (useful when you want to look up the information again or when somebody asks, "Where did you see that?"), common look alikes, poisonous look-alikes, any legend or lore applicable, etc. Also, when technological uses are noted, they are hyperlinked to relevant pictures. For example, under Cattail, I list basket making and when you click on it, it takes you to a folder of pictures of Cattail baskets that I made.

It all started when I created a slide show of Spring wild edibles. I thought this would be a good tool for plant ID. Once I did that, I thought why not do all seasons? Then I thought, why not add the food, medicine, poison, and technological uses and it went from there.

Originally, I downloaded pictures from the internet, but I am working on replacing them with my own pictures. When you do this, it's a good idea to make sure you take pictures of the identifying features, such as the warts on Elderberry trunks. Each document is hyperlinked to the folder with the relevant pictures.

So what I have now, is an ongoing data base. When I come across some new information about a particular plant, I add it, along with a reference to the source. It'll never get finished in my lifetime, but it's fun and informative to do.

If you have any questions, feel free. I can email you a sample sheet if you're interested.

Doc
Click to expand...

Doc thanks for the input.
I'm curious in what format are you keeping the info. Is it just an HTML tree?
Or do you actually have a DB going? Sample sheety as in Excel?
 
grateful_fred said:
Doc thanks for the input.
I'm curious in what format are you keeping the info. Is it just an HTML tree?
Or do you actually have a DB going? Sample sheety as in Excel?
Click to expand...

Sorry Fred, but for the most part I am computer illiterate. I don't know what an HTML tree is. For each plant/tree, I have a separate Word document and these are all in one folder called, coincidentally, The Plants.

I have another folder that is called Plant Pictures in which there is a folder for each plant and a few pictures of each in the folder. These pictures can be accessed from the Plant Pictures folder or from the hyperlinks in the Word documents.

I have a separate Word document for each poisonous/injurious plant which is also hyperlinked to the Plant Pictures folder. These are in, of course, a folder called Poisonous Plants.

Similarly I have a folder called Plant Usage in which are separate Word documents for each plant usage. These usages include: Arrow shafts; Clothing; Containers - Natural materials; Cordage Plants; Dyes; Fall Wild Edibles; First Aid Uses; Fish Poisons; Hand drills for friction fire; Hazardous Plants; Slow Match; Spring Wild Edibles; Summer Wild Edibles; Tinder Plants; Winter Wild Edibles. This folder will be expanded as need arises.

I also have a Word document for the Bibliography which includes the name of the reference material, the author, the publisher, date of publication and the ISBN/LC # whichever is applicable.

All the foregoing is in a folder called Plant Data Base.

The template for The Plants Word document looks like this:
-------------------------------------------

AKA:

SCIENTIFIC NAME:

DESCRIPTION (in particular any unique characteristics):

FLOWERING TIMES:

FRUITING TIMES:

HABITAT:

HARVEST:

PREPARATION:

RELATED EDIBLE SPECIES: These are hyperlinked to the respective Word documents

POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: These are hyperlinked to the respective Word documents

WARNINGS!:

MEDICINAL USE:

FIRST AID USES:

TECHNOLOGICAL USES: Hyperlinked to Plant Usage folder

GENERAL (includes legend and lore):

CRITTERS THAT USE THIS FOR FOOD:

RECIPES: This usually includes a sample recipe or two and lists references to other relevant recipe sources


SOURCES CONSULTED: This is hyperlinked to the Bibliographic Word document and is referred to here and elsewhere by a 2 or 3 letter designation, along with page #'s

PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS:

OTHER SPRING WILD EDIBLES
OTHER SUMMER WILD EDIBLES
OTHER FALL WILD EDIBLES
OTHER WINTER WILD EDIBLES
----------------------------------------------

The sample sheet I referred to would be a Word Document of a particular plant with the above filled in. Also you could see which items are hyperlinked.

Doc
 
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Once you realize the ubundance of this resource and the resources in nature in general its makes you wonder how the hell we wound up living in structures that require non-renewable energy sources.

Air conditioning-central heat-refrigerators-freezers-running water-indoor latrines-hot water
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Sorry Fred, but for the most part I am computer illiterate. I don't know what an HTML tree is. For each plant/tree, I have a separate Word document and these are all in one folder called, coincidentally, The Plants.
Doc
Click to expand...

Doc, this is screaming to be set up in a website, so everyone can access it. I'm sure someone on this board can help you out in setting it up. Some providers offer free hosting of sites as long as you agree to allow some advertising on it. You definitely have my attention.
 
holeymoley said:
Doc, this is screaming to be set up in a website, so everyone can access it. I'm sure someone on this board can help you out in setting it up. Some providers offer free hosting of sites as long as you agree to allow some advertising on it. You definitely have my attention.
Click to expand...


holeymoley, thanks for the interest but it is really a personal project. I only brought it up in order to offer some suggestions to grateful fred for his plant library. I wish I had thought of all the additions at the beginning as it would have saved me going back and adding things, more than once.

Doc
 
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