I got a wonderful book for my birthday. It's called "Bizarre Botanicals: How to Grow String of Hearts, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Panda Ginger, and Other Weird and Wonderful Plants"  The authors are Larry Mellichamp and Paula Gross and is published by Timber Press.  As you can guess from the title they aren't talking about run of the mill plants, but of odd or interesting plants. There is a whole chapter on carnivorous plants and another on succulents. They, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, suggest the entire Euphorbia genus should be listed as bizarre because of it's diversity, and strangeness. They include other plants whose flowers or pods resemble other creatures.

The photography is beautiful. There is growing information on each plant, but the emphasis is more on other interesting information about them, like uses, myths, etc.I was pleased to see that I either am growing or have grown some of their selections. Cockscomb (Celosia cristate), Scouring rush (Equisetum sp.), Sea Holly (Eryngium sp.), Crested Mamillaria cactus, Love Lies Bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus), Tapeworm Plant (Homalo cladiumplatycladon), Devils thorn (Solanum pyracanthum), Baby toes (Fenestraria rhapalaphylla), Starfish flower (Stapelia hirsuta), Mother of thousands (Kalanchoe delagoensis), Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) and more.

After looking through the book my next purchase will have to be Baseball plant (Euphorbia obesa), which you guessed it looks like a pile of baseballs. This book was perfect to be looking through around Halloween. I can also suggest "Wicked Plants" and "Wicked Bugs" by Amy Stewart for a similar fun loving vein of plant storytelling.