A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs

Peterson Field Guides #40

by Steven Foster, James A. Duke, Roger Tory Peterson (Editor)

Of Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides (R))

The second edition of this volume shows how to identify more than 500 kinds of healing plants. More than 300 color photos illustrate the plants, their flowers, leaves, and fruits. The descriptive text includes information on where the plants are found as well as their known medicinal uses. An index to medical topics is helpful for quickly locating information on specific ailments from asthma and headaches to colds and stomach aches. Symbols next to plant descriptions provide quick visual caution for plants that are poisonous or cause allergic reactions. Organized by plant color for fast identification, this guide is a tool for understanding the traditional medicinal uses of the plants around us.

Genres: Reference, Nature, Nonfiction, Health, Science, Field Guides, Plants

411 pages, Paperback

First published May 24, 1990

About the author

Best-selling author, photographer, consultant, and herbalist, Steven Foster, has 39 years of comprehensive experience in the herbal field. He started his career at the Sabbathday Lake, Maine, Shaker’s Herb Department—America’s oldest herb business dating to 1799.

As an international consultant in medicinal and aromatic plant technical and marketing issues, Foster has served on projects in Argentina, Armenia, Belize, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, England, Germany, Guatemala, Japan, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Peru, the Republic of Georgia, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam and elsewhere.

Steven has 17 books published. He is senior author of three Peterson Field Guides, , including A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs (with Dr. James A. Duke), 2nd edition, 2000, A Field Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs with Christopher Hobbs, (2002), and A Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants of North America (with Roger Caras, 1995 and many other books. Other titles include Tyler’s Honest Herbal 4th edtion (with Varro Tyler) and the 1999 Independent Publisher's Association's Best Title in Health and Medicine—101 Medicinal Herbs. Foster is senior author of National Geographic’s A Desk Reference to Nature’s Medicine (with Rebecca Johnson), a 2007 New York Public Library “Best of Reference.” He has also authored over 800 articles for numerous trade, popular and scientific periodicals. An acclaimed photographer with thousands ofimages in his stock photos files, Foster’s photographs appear in hundreds of publications. He is Associate Editor of HerbalGram, and Chairman of the Board Trustees of the American Botanical Council in Austin, Texas. Steven makes his home in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Very extensive per plant. But still a great resource to use. Definitely a must have if you choose to homestead and produce natural medicinal remedies and tinctures for your home. This book will be well worn within the coming years in my house.

[Anna Nesterovich · Rating 3 out of 5]

To put it mildly, I'm not a fan of identifying plants by color. By lacking any other passable plant guides for this continent (it's quite a regrettable gap in the US publishing tradition), it would do. It was useful for me on several occasions. Actually, it's the best botanical field guide I've seen here. But it's still so far from a really good guide, I can't give it more than three stars.

[Marguerite Corbett]

Skimmed, not read all the way through obviously. This book has lots of pictures and information on how plants have been historically used, but no info in how to actually prepare the different plants to be used. So it gives just enough information to be dangerous. Not what I'm looking for, for plant identification and use in the botany curriculum.

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peterson’s books are always high-quality and thoroughly researched. I'd bet my life on it. I already have done that when I was much younger. The only reason that I don't own this one is because I live out west.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first and favorite from 20 years ago. It is one of the best field guides and I use it still to teach plant identification classes as well as use it on ally herb walks, and recommend it as top of the list and first book to buy if interested in truly wildcrafting or just knowing the abundance of what has historicaly been used as medicine. It also noted on the plants which have been used or currently being studied in the medical pharmacopeia world with cancer, nurologcal disorders even alrhiemers disease. Therefore draws interest to the skeptics . The guide is consice yet abundant with everything you need to properly identify and learn

[Sharon K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite new book; making me look at my backyard in a new way

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a comprehensive guide. Maybe not a staple on every long haul trip, but pretty essential for laypersons such as myself in differentiating what things can go in tea and what shouldn’t go at all!

[K Kriesel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm looking for field guides of the Driftless Region as I learn to forage, and this was recommended to me.
The layout is odd, the pictures and descriptors are very small. I also wish there was an indicator of where exactly these places grow. This would be a good supplemental book to a more thorough, detailed guide.

[Jayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A godsend for any interested in herbalism as a whole, also provides info on what has and has not been scientifically verified, which is the only thing that was actually able to get me into herbal medicine, as it approaches it from a very scientific lens

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good info and photos in this book. Buy some day maybe

[Tessa in Mid-Michigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very detailed and complete.

[Susan Skaanning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good resource, lots of explanation. Wish there was more photos of each type of plant as some are so similar to naked eye.

[Jena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of really good information but unfortunately the print is so small I can hardly read it

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I refer to time and time again. Have used for many years for research and general knowledge. Highly recommend!

[Df3photo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great plant identification book. Also gives you medicinal uses for the wild plants and herbs.

[Maggie2u2000 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a good reference manual. It's handy to take into the woods with you when you're foraging for herbs!

[Bear Paw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for foraging

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reference guide. It's small and compact enough to fit in your purse/bag, as well as to have in your hands while exploring. The colorful pictures of each plant and herb helps a lot. Many books typically come in black and white. The thorough explanation of each plant and herb is very informative; for instance: common names/scientific names/family names, plant part used for medicinal purposes, description, where to find them, medicinal uses, preparations, dosage, and most importantly - warnings! The warnings tell you whether a plant or herb is poisonous or whether to just be cautious of possible side effects. This little 456 page book is something I would never want to be without.

[Benjamin Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great reference. I didn't read all 530 entries, but the book includes a great preface, how to use this book section, and index, and contains loads of illustrations and photographs. I learned a good deal while perusing the volume, reading the preface and how to, and reading the captions for all of the photographs. I am confident I will learn a lot on our next hike by taking this along. I already found pictures of plants we have encountered on past hikes and which we found noteworthy.

[Tess · Rating 2 out of 5]

This guide warns that some plants look similar and can be deadly. For the severity of this warning, it has very hard to see pictures and poor descriptions. The organization, by flower color and plant type, would make more sense if you already knew what you were looking for. All in all I found it interesting to read the many uses for plants but could never see it being a practical guide to take out in the wild and harvest anything.

[Joseph Burk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave me info on the plants The Harvester collected on his property, as well as others. It is amazing how God gave us these herbal plants to cure disease and common ailments.

[Heidi Kuchta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This field guide is pretty good - all color photos, the essential info you might want. The book aims to be more extensive than thorough. I would prefer a field guide with larger and more photos of the plants themselves. Many of the photos do not provide very good leaf close-ups. This is why I only gave this guide 3 out of 5 stars.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This field guide unfortunately uses (sometimes poor) color photos instead of drawings to represent each plant. A thorough survey, but it will need to be supplemented with other guides for accurate ID.

[Steven Horne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent field guide to medicinal plants. The information on how to use them is sketchy, as it lacks dosages and other information needed to confidently recommend herbs, but for a professional herbalist who understands how to prepare and use plants it's a great resource.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This guide was recommended at a herbal salve making class I took. I'm so glad I purchased it as it is a beautifully illustrated, informative, well organized reference on medicinal herbs and plants. It is also the perfect size for carrying with you on hikes. Highly recommended.

[Dereck · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great and easy to use field guide with many pictures.

[Foxthyme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little book. And I know guidebooks need to remain small enough to bring out into the field, but as always, I'd like more info packed in...

[Gennadyi · Rating 5 out of 5]

good guide with lots of photos, good descriptions. would be better if included specific preparation methods and dosage.