Detailing more than 4000 varieties, a quarter of which are illustrated in colour, this is a guide to the identification, care and propagation of house plants. Coverage of their history and origins, as well as how to choose, cultivate and care for them, precedes a 400-page A-Z section that lists genuses and gives information on their species, varieties, cultivars and hybrids. All the plants are classified in four categories - tropical, temperate, cool and hardy - and technical terms are defined for the novice.