The motto of the already 2nd edition still remains: "enjoyable acquaintance" with woody plants based on features available to us in autumn and winter, such as withered leaves, bark, and possibly fruits, but above all the overwhelming variety of winter buds. The identification of trees, shrubs, and other woody plants in this book is not done as usual with "dry" identification tables, but with image keys grouped into picture sets and large colored plates featuring diagnostic "profiles" for subsequent verification of accuracy. An introductory chapter provides basic knowledge in an easily understandable form about the vegetative structure and function, identification, and characteristics of many woody plants growing in Europe. Building on this, the actual goal is to acquire a certain type of knowledge.