National Geographic Herbal: 100 Herbs From the World's Healing Traditions

by Mimi Prunella Hernandez

Targeted to the millions of consumers treating common ailments with herbal remedies, this authoritative guide to 100 essential herbs is chock-full of crucial information for the health-minded consumer, wellness advocate, gardener, and naturalist.

Written by the executive director of the American Herbalists Guild, National Geographic Herbal features backyard weeds like dandelion and red clover, culinary herbs like rosemary and garlic, classics like blueberries and chamomile, as well as less familiar medicinals like ashwangandha, Japanese knotweed, and shatavari. You’ll discover the healing properties of herbs and spices like turmeric and ginger, and which learn which popular herbs deserve special conservation attention, such as rooibos and ginseng.

Blending traditional lore and current science, the information found in these pages stretches from tips for the kitchen garden and home apothecary to news about activism in the global arena. Illustrated with vintage botanical drawings and vivid contemporary photography, it highlights hallowed traditions, from ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic principles to the Latin American curanderismo lineage and Gullah Geechee practices in the American South.

Comprehensive and user-friendly, this beautiful book will help readers make sense of the ever-growing selection of herbal remedies on the market—and enhance their health through a deeper knowledge of the wonder of plants.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Gardening, Science, Nature

746 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 7, 2023

Reviews

[L & J Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated reference profiling 100 of the world' favorite herbs. It has both gorgeous artists' illustrations as well as breathtaking photos of these herbs, a history of the cultivation, therapeutic uses and information on how these plants propagate. For some, their role in the ecologic niche (environmental enemy or a means towards reparative restoration) is also covered. I'm not normally this effusive but I can't help thinking this would make a great gift for some of my friends, since it's a glorious book that would look great on a coffee table or on your bookshelf as a reference text.

[Allison Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful illustrated reference book on herbs around the world and their traditions. The book has so much beautiful art work it is so fun to leaf through. The book is divided into categories; Sensory, Kitchen, Weedy, Woodland, Apothecary, Topical, Garden, Community, Global. The book is very informative and I especially appreciated the history behind herbal uses. I'd highly recommend this book for anyone interested in herbs and natural healing or the history of healing herbs.

I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I was so excited to have won this book!

[Berenice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erbario scritto da una famosa erborista ed etnobotanica, ricco di schede di erbe da tutto il mondo.
Per ogni erba sono indicate le sue proprietà, il suo aspetto e il suo luogo d'origine (a volte anche delle ricette). Il volume si concentra anche sulla sostenibilità e disponibilità delle erbe, in modo tale da acquistarle e sceglierle in modo consapevole, e sulle varie tradizioni curative del mondo (ayurveda, medicina cinese, africana, ecc).
Lo consiglio vivamente a chiunque sia interessato alle erbe officinali, alla loro tradizione e sostenibilità.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really excellent herbal encyclopedia; thorough overview with SO much info. My only complaint was a lot of herbalism books really feel very personal and this feels more textbook. An incredibly valuable resource though, beautiful pics, tons of details, lots on different cultures. Kind of can't believe how much was crammed into one book. This would have been a great book to be my first herbal textbook.

[Uliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book with high quality photos, pictures and details. I was looking for information about calendula in different places and found everything I needed in this book. I like the way every herb is introduced and described

[Ericka Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and thorough explaining each herb. Each description has a recipe or example use. The book contains lots of historical lore and explanations of herbal concoctions. All in all I would say this very a valuable resource.

[Starryville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quote: “For the curious, open-hearted herbalist, an invitation from the plants always awaits.”

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chock full of great information detailed by what it is, uses and little anecdotes. I really liked it and took notes.

[Scout · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very useful book and a fine compendium of herbs. As a reference book, this should be in many people's libraries.

[ML Doubek-Campos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold, mystical, educational

[Elissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing is excellent and the info is good. Plan on buying this to have as a resource (I borrowed from the library for the first read).

[Donna Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book full of information about different herbs! I recommend this to anyone who is looking for some more knowledge about herbs that could help with their healing.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. This is an excellent overview for anyone looking to expand their herbal understanding. Extremely readable and engaging, this is suitable for newcomers, but having read many herbal books, I still found new and interesting information in this volume. The author acknowledges the indigenous cultural history of various herbs and herbal traditions better than any herbal medicine book I've read so far.

[Liz Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading an herb profile or essay every night out of this book and just finished it tonight 🥰 As an herbalist myself, this is by far one of my favorite herbals—excellent profiles and thoughtful essays on various herbal traditions and the importance of ethical herbalism and wild crafting. Highly recommend!