Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West

I bought this book as a Christmas present for my dad, and he hasn't put it down since he got it. The detailed descriptions of habitat, appearance, and usefulness of each plant are supplemented by great color pictures, as well as instructions for avoiding dangerous look-alikes. I would highly recommend this book for hikers, backpackers, woodsmen, and anyone else that spends a lot of time outdoors.

This book is a good beginning book on edible and medicinal plants of the west. The pictures are excellent and really help in identify species. The only complaint I have with this book is that it is missing some important edible plant sources, and it is also could be more detailed in methods of cooking and eating the plants.

Buy Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West Now

Full color photographs of every plant in the book, along with very complete, if brief, descriptions of characteristics and properties. The book itself is compact and easy to carry with you into the field, which is the ONLY place to truly study the subject matter. Enjoy this gem!

Read Best Reviews of Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West Here

I have to give Tilford credit for preparing a great book. Don't let the title of this book fool you into thinking that it will only be useful for the western U.S. or Canada. This book would be a great addition to any forager or herbalist in the U.S. or Canada because at least 50% of the plants found in this book can be found in the east. The pictures are crisp and because of his knowledge of herbal medicine he offers thorough insight on warnings about plants where other authors lack. Has a great introduction and the plants are organized alphabetically by common name...not standard practice but is probably more useful for the amateur botanist. His index provides quick access for those more familiar with scientific names. Two major parts in this book "Edible and Medicinal Plants" and "Toxic Plants and Advanced Medicines". Each plant account has common and scientific names of the plant and its family followed by the defining characters. The bloom period, habitat range, edibility , look-alike plants, medicinal uses and any warnings are also included. The "Toxic Plants and Advanced Medicines" section contains 21 species and is very informative. Contains a brief but useful glossary and his "Bibliography and Recommended Reading" looks like it has some useful books to investigate.

Want Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West Discount?

I know little about foraging. The only other plant foraging books I've owned are by Euell Gibbons. Gibbons is a very entertaining author, but his books are not specific to my region, and they contain sketches not photos. Photographs are far superior to sketches. The downside is that the glossy paper required for photos is heavier. For you backpackers, this book is 8.5x5.5 inches and weighs a hefty 15.6 ounces. I weighed it myself. I give the book four stars instead of five because the plants are not categorized but in alphabetical order which makes looking up a plant much more difficult.

Save 33% Off