The Complete Folk Herbal: An Illustrated Guide to Natural Remedies and Everyday Healing

by Rebecca Beyer

A definitive, beautifully illustrated guide to the folklore, history, and everyday utility of nearly 100 plants, trees, and shrubs.

Reconnect with the wisdom of the land through this comprehensive guide from forager and ethnobotanist Rebecca Beyer. Richly illustrated and deeply researched, The Complete Folk Herbal celebrates nearly 100 plants, each one steeped in story, tradition, and healing power.

Inside you’ll

- Detailed plant profiles covering origins, physical appearance, folklore, traditional uses, and modern applications.
- Everyday remedies for headaches, burns, fatigue, insomnia, menstrual pain, and dozens of other common complaints.
- Practical recipes for teas, tinctures, decoctions, salves, balms, and more.
- Sustainable foraging practices that emphasize ethical harvesting and mindful stewardship of the earth’s resources.

Accessible yet encyclopedic, The Complete Folk Herbal is both a reference and an invitation to deepen your relationship with plants, honor the traditions of folk healing, and embark on a lifelong journey of herbal wisdom.

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting to learn about herbal remedies from different cultures, and the wisdom of our ancestors. In lots of cases, modern medicine is not replaced, but there can be instances of supplementing with natural remedies. I enjoyed cross referencing to see what herbs are native to my region and now I’m able to identify some species in my area. As I was reading, I started to develop some sort of skin irritation on my wrist that Benadryl was not cutting it for (yay for allergy season). However, I harvested some plantain in my yard for an infusion and that definitely helped relieve the itchiness. I’m no medicine expert, but simple remedies like this can make a huge difference. While many of the recipes in this book are beyond what I’d be comfortable making with my level of knowledge, it’s fascinating to learn about regardless.

And how fun to make some connections! Hildegard Van Bingen was incredibly influential in the development of Apple remedies — she’s also the first female composer that was documented extensively!

[Amanda Moss-Morin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just so friggen cool and packed with facts about plants and how we can use them to make teas, tinctures, bitters, and even things like candied orange peels. Very easy to flip through and novice-friendly. Beautiful botanical illustrations without being like "ew modern medicine, gross." Easy to flip through, I think even gardeners would find this enjoyable. I appreciate the recognition of the cultures that really led the way for this knowledge.

I feel like tea drinkers would also enjoy this cause there's a lot about different teas you can make with ingredients you can grow or forage, but you can also just sit on your butt and learn about the benefits and history of common herbs/fruits other folks add into the teas you drink/can buy. It goes over a total of 90 herbs plus general recording and harvesting tips, recipes, and recommended tools.

[Becky of Becky's Bookshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a helpful book almost like a plant encyclopedia. Each plant featured has a picture of the plant, detailed information about the plant, and how to use the plant. The book is easy to read and set up nicely. You can quickly find what you need, it is a enjoyable read, and the recipes are easy to follow. I think this valuable resource should be a part of any home. I highly recommend he Complete Folk Herbal: An Illustrated Guide to Natural Remedies and Everyday Healing Hardcover by Rebecca Beyer.

I was gifted a copy and not required to write a positive review.

[Sherry Erdly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the traditional uses for the various plants. This book gives you the pictures of the plants, which I found useful to identify the plants. I felt it was complete and would be a great reference book while foraging.