One of his books, the Przewodnik do oznaczania roślin w Polsce dziko rosnących (Guide to Wild Plants in Poland), had 21 editions between 1886 and 1979.
In one of his notable works, Józef Rostafiński did extensive research about the Polesie region in eastern Poland, and claimed it lacked certain type of trees due to the soil and ground. Streets bearing his name can be found in the Polish cities of Kraków, Warsaw, and Wrocław.[citation needed]