"Reams of appealing facts make one itch to get outside and right up close to trees' rough surfaces and shady cover."—The Atlantic
New York Times–bestselling author Tristan Gooley opens our eyes to the secret language of trees—and the natural wonders they reveal all around us
In How to Read a Tree, Gooley uncovers the clues hiding in plain sight: in a tree's branches and leaves; its bark, buds, and flowers; even its stump. Leaves with a pale, central streak mean that water is nearby. Young, low-growing branches show that a tree is struggling. And reddish or purple bark signals new growth.
Like snowflakes, no two trees are exactly the same. Every difference reveals the epic story this tree has lived—if we stop to look closely.