Edible Houseplants: Grow Your Own Citrus, Coffee, Vanilla, and 43 Other Tasty Tropical Plants

This book is best suited for beginners. It covers forty-six different plants, generally over a two-page spread (some get two two-page spreads). Each plant (chapter) has an introduction, sidebars of plant particulars (size, bloom and fruiting season, etc.), growing conditions, care, and potential problems. The rest of the chapter is filled with pictures, factoids, or personal stories. One section is devoted to plant care. This section covers starting to plant, maintenance, propagation, pests and diseases. This section is an excellent reference for those just starting indoors gardening.

The illustrations are actual pictures and artistic renderings. While the visuals are stunning, I wish they were smaller, and the additional space devoted to more in-depth exploration of plant care for that plant. Some plants have recipes. If recipes are to be included, I recommend have one for every plant, and including them in an appendix. I wish the chapters went more in-depth on plant growth and care, were better structured, and contained fewer personal anecdotes. Renderings of the plans and page numbers follow the contents. The list would have been more useful if it were sorted alphabetically. Despite its shortcomings, it is a good reference for those wanting to start growing indoor tropical plants.