Other than the occasional houseplant, or backyard garden, few people give a lot of thought to the plants around them, yet plants form an integral part of our world. We depend on them for food. We use them to build. We harvest them for fuel, and even for fashion.

Plants, People, and the Planet explores the critical role plants play in our lives, and in our societies. It explains plants, from their molecular structure to their place on the dinner table. The book addresses contemporary issues in horticulture, and how these issues impact the planet.

Topics covered in the book include: plant products and their uses, plant biology and morphology, plant genealogy and geography, the meaning of "organic," field-covering crops, food plants, and sustainability.