The Lowdown on Yuccas and Agaves

If you have trouble telling agaves from yuccas, there’s a new book, “Agaves, Yuccas, and Related Plants: a Gardener’s Guide,” by Mary and Gary Irish (Timber Press; $34.95), that should wise you up. The authors are from Arizona, where Mary is the director of public horticulture at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. Her husband holds a degree in plant geography and collects and grows these succulent plants. The book is getting favorable reviews from experts in California.

Besides describing each plant and its flowers and leaves, the book tells where each is from (information I find really useful) and suggests how to grow it. It even describes how these fibrous plants have been put to various uses--from soap to strong drink. The 300-page-plus book is illustrated with clumps of color plates.

Timber Press books are for the serious gardener and are generally not found at bookstores. Call (503) 227-2878, or visit https://www.timberpress.com.