Edible & Medicinal Plants of West

by Gregory L. Tilford

i>Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West is a full-color photographic guide to the identification, edibility, and medicinal uses of over 250 plant species, growing from Alaska to southern California, east across the Rocky Mountains and the Northern Plains to the Great Lakes. Herbalist and naturalist Gregory Tilford provides a thorough introduction to the world of herbal medicine for everyone interested in plants, personal well-being, and a healthy environment.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Plants, Gardening, Survival, Reference, Health

239 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1997

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredibly useful, I read it cover to cover when I first bought it. It's full of useful descriptions, and while some might complain about the large amount of text, I actually find that it's better to have more and highlight the essential, than to be unsure about whether or not a plant is edible. The full color pictures really help with identification, and occasionally Tilford throws in a little snide remark that makes reading this book entertaining as well as informative. I am really glad I bought this book, the only complaint I have is that when I find a plant that looks familiar but I don't remember the name, it can take a while to flip through the pages to find it since they're listed alphabetically. But I don't think anything can be done about that, so this book is as good as it gets! Really I enjoyed it, and I still reread it to this day.
And also, it provides a full index in the back for all the times there were terms I was unsure of.
so yeah to sum it up, I think you should GET THIS BOOK

[Kei · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want more books like this one. I want more herbal and plant reference generally, but until or unless I get around to a true Botany course, the ones like this are the ones that will help me to identify the plants I use while they are growing. Really in depth, both picture reference, and the unique characteristics to watch for when there are problems (like distinguishing water hemlock, an exceptionally poisonous, medicinally useless plant from osha, one of the niftiest medicinals.)

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband and I bought this book last year at one of the state parks' visitor's centers and it has been invaluable in identifying many of our local 'wild' plants. The photographs are excellent and the descriptions are also great. I have been able to identify many of the plants in our area with just the use of this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who lives in northwestern California.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s got a lot in it, but would be greatly improved if there were internal referencing elements to help you find plants and identify them. Going through in alphabetical order without grouping or classification is not helpful.

[Brook Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this strictly for the purpose of researching a novel, and wound up loving this read!

Tilford is so organized as a writer, and though obviously a scholarly herbologist, his style is easy-reading and even touched with a sense of humor in some places. And I learned stuff. OMG! Parts of flowers that I'd not studied since junior high, or the handy glossary for his terminology in the back. These are all pluses that make non-fiction volume "fun" to read--OR research.

In his organization, each listing contained a solid paragraph or several of overall description, including smell, appearance, whether the plant was fuzzy, shape of its flowers/fruit, etc. He then listed when it blooms, what its habitat/range includes, a description of its edibility, and medicinal uses. And he scored extra points with me, since he included information regarding specific Native tribes that used certain plants for medicine, food, or other uses. Really, this guy has done his homework and certainly has a down-to-earth (no pun included) way of sharing it.

Additionally, Tilford split his book in half to first feature plants that are mostly harmless, helpful, or edible. The second (and shorter) half of the book dealt with poisonous species, and honestly, it was FASCINATING!

This one deserves five flowering stars! I highly recommend!

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for someone, who knows nothing about plants, to pick up and understand. Tilford uses scientific terminology, but not incomprehensible for the beginning herbalist. The glossary at the back is a great touch, and information about the plants is about as in-depth as one can get in a comprehensive volume. The color photographs are a perfect aid in recognizing the plants around you.

[Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gregory my man i hope i don't die

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as many herbs nor as much detail as some other herbal books

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confession: I didn't actually read this book cover to cover. It's not a book you do that with - it's more of a reference book. There is an introduction (excellent insights into the rise of 'miracle drugs' over herbal remedies in the US), then a section on edible plants and a section on plants that are not edible, but have medicinal value. The plant descriptions are understandable and the pictures are excellent. It really deserves more than the 3 stars I gave it, but I'm not sure I'll have the courage to actually put the information to use. I think I'll try the dandelion and sedum in salad, but that's as brave as I am.

I checked this out at the library because I thought it might be fun to see if any of the wildflowers I grow in my yard are edible. A few of them are! Fun!

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this little book to be very educational, since I live in CA. However, it's not a reference book per se. It is arranged alphabetically so if you want it for identification purposes, you would have to flip through and look at the photos to see if the plant is in the book. The plants only have one photo and sometimes it's only the flower, so if the plant you want to identify is not in flower, then id'ing could be nearly impossible with this book. It would have been better to show all the parts of the plants. The information that it does provide is extremely detailed and helpful.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most essential books for outdoor-enthusiasts and makers of wild medicines, this books has fantastic photographs, user-friendly layout, thorough and conversational descriptions, and well-researched edibility and medicinal uses. I found this book in the library as a teenager and have been avidly researching and making wild medicines ever since, and of all the books I've found it is still one of my absolute favorites. Well worth getting..

[Francis Opila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. I bought it mainly for plant identification - the edible and medicinal info is a truly wonderful bonus. Unlike most field guides, it presents plants at the genus level rather than the species. Excellent photographs. I can now eat berries with confidence, though not necessarily always with my palette in mind - some are a bit bitter.

[Kaydee Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great layout and thorough details on each plant. The only thing that would make me love this book more was if there were extra indexes in the back that would allow me to look up plants by region and by type (so if I was specifically looking for berries, it would list all the plants with berries and their page numbers).

[Bianka Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has amazing photos and good info for such a small volume.

[Rashaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent field guide, the text is heavy, so it may not be practical to carry around on hikes, but the pictures, the organization and descriptions are user friendly and perfectly insightful.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very helpful guide specific to the west coast.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have reference book

[Cnjbillhimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite book for looking up plants I want to know about.

[Ryan Moulton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great photographs, but could be better organized. There are an astonishing number of "medicinal" plants that can be "used as a diarrhetic" which makes it difficult to find the edible ones.

[Kate Sampsell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've used the East Coast version for years. Both are excellent for a trail munch, nice pot herbs or salad ingredients, or help in an emergency.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book every year, too :o) I love native plants, and the history behind them.