Are you just starting out on your herbal journey? Or maybe you’ve been on the path a while and are looking for some new herbal inspiration to add to your repertoire?
In either case, I want to share with you some of my favorite go-to herbal resources, from books and blogs to farmers and suppliers. Where possible, I link directly to the websites of the authors or publishers of books (as opposed to corporate giant sellers), otherwise I post a link to Thriftbooks. All recommendations are completely unsolicited and I receive no compensation for the links – these are just books and folks who’s perspectives I admire and appreciate.
If you are looking to purchase bulk dried herbs, jump here.
Ada Thilen (1852-1933) Reading
Enjoy!
And do share in the comments if you have your own favorites, too!
Favorite Herbals (in no particular order)
Northeast Medicinal Plants by Liz Neves
I would be remiss to omit my own book from this list! It’s a super user-friendly field guide to medicinal plants that grow wild in northeastern North America. Even more - it includes instructions on how to make a wide variety of medicinal preparations, how to ethically harvest from the wild, and where and when to find specific herbs at their peak.
Iwígara by Enrique Salmón
A beautiful guide to native or naturalized plants and the relationships people native to Turtle Island (North America) have with them.
The Earthwise Herbal series from Matthew Wood
Two book series featuring in depth profiles on a broad range of herbs used traditionally in the “old world” (Europe, Asia) and the “new world” (the Americas).
Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar
One of the first herbal books I acquired and still love dearly. Rosemary Gladstar is like an herbal fairy godmother who brings herbal medicine down to earth and super accessible.
The Gift of Healing Herbs by Robin Rose Bennett
An excellent, comprehensive herbal from one of my first teachers.
The Complete Women’s Herbal by Anne McIntyre
Great resource for folks who either once had or still have uteruses.
The Yoga of Herbs by Vasant Lad and David Frawley
An Ayurvedic perspective on a wide range of herbs from two master herbalists.
Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra
An Eastern perspective on herbs from a west coast herbalist.
Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica by Dan Bensky, Steve Clavey, Erich Stöger, with Andrew Gamble
A deep dive into the herbs most often used in Chinese Medicine.
Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have to Do Is Ask by Mary Siisip Geniusz, Edited by Wendy Makoons Geniusz
Late great Native herbalist Keewaydinoquay Peschel is a big influence on this herbal in the Anishinaabe tradition, being a direct teacher to the author.
Working the Roots by Michele E. Lee
One of the few herbals steeped in African American tradition.
Native Plants, Native Healing by Tis Mal Crow
A nice concise guide to Muskogee Herbal Medicine.
Native American Ethnobotany by Daniel E. Moerman
An encyclopedic volume documenting the herbal knowledge of indigenous people of North America.
Dandelion blooms (Taraxacum officinale)
Favorite Herbal Specialty Books
The Language of Plants by Julia Graves
An amazing resource on the Doctrine of Signatures, the language that plants speak to us that reveals their medicinal gifts.
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year by Susan Weed
A classic herbal for pregnancy that is still relevant today.
Herbs for Children’s Health by Rosemary Gladstar
A lovely basic herbal for common children’s ailments.
Naturally Healthy Babies and Children by Aviva Romm
A trusted guide I turned to often when my son was a babe.
Herbal Antibiotics and Herbal Antivirals by Stephen Harrod Buhner
Excellent, deeply researched resources on antibacterial and antiviral herbs.
Adaptogens by David Winston with Steven Maimes
Just about everything you need to know about adaptogens, plants that help the body adapt to stress.
Invasive Plant Medicine by Timothy Lee Scott
Yes! Let’s celebrate the gifts of the abundant weeds! That’s just what this book does and I’m grateful.
Planting the Future edited by Rosemary Gladstar and Pamela Hirsch
And on the flip side, let’s also celebrate the native plants of North America that call for us to steward wild and mindfully cultivated spaces. A beautiful honoring of native medicinal plants.
Pharmako/Poeia by Dale Pendell
A fascinating look at plants with a poetic and alchemical bent. One of a series, I haven’t yet had the pleasure to read its companions. I haven’t read it in a while, but adding this here makes me want to revisit it!
Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash
Favorite Books About Herbal Spirituality
Plant Spirit Healing by Pam Montgomery
A beautiful guide for connecting with plants on the spiritual level.
Plant Spirit Medicine by Eliot Cowan
A shamanic treatise on our deep connection with plant spirits.
The Secret Teachings of Plants and Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm by Stephen Harrod Buhner
A poetic and practical duo of books. Get ready to have your heart sing with the plants!
Healing Magic by Robin Rose Bennett
A fun, witchy approach to honoring the plants and the wild Earth.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
A profoundly poetic love song to life with deep botanical and indigenous wisdom.
Image by Romany Soup
Favorite Field Guides
Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Elpel
An excellent way to learn how to identify plants based on the patterns found in their forms.
Native Plant Trust’s Go Botany
Key out plants based on their physical characteristics and learn where they grow, specific to New England.
Discover the range of plants, their taxonomic classification, as well as their conservation status.
A classic guide for identifying plants in the wild - the downside is your key to IDing success is that the plant in question is in flower.
Peterson’s Field Guide to Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster
A comprehensive field guide that includes full color photography and documented uses of herbs that grow in eastern and central regions of North America.
Cleavers (Galium aparine)
Favorite Blogs & Herbalist Sites
Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine
Juliet Blankespoor and Co. post amazingly comprehensive plant profiles, recipes, and more.
I love Kiva Rose Hardin’s perspective on herbs and her well researched and experience-based herbal profiles.
Jim McDonald offers some great videos and posts on a variety of native and introduced herbs.
Northeast School of Botanical Medicine
7Song has a wonderfully in-depth knowledge of botany and herbal medicine based on 20 years of experience.
School of Evolutionary Herbalism
Sajah Popham offers a wealth of herbal knowledge based in alchemy, astrology, and herbal wisdom traditions from around the world.
Sassafras in bloom (Sassafras albidum)
FAVORITE FARMS & HERB SUPPLIERS
When all other places are out of stock, I turn to Frontier.
Organic and biodynamic herb farm in the Finger Lakes region of NY that’s been around since the early 1980s.
One-stop-shop for most of your herbal medicine making needs.
Find local herbs, CSAs, food, and more locally grown products in your neck of the woods.
Larch Hansen, the Seaweed Man, is one of the kindest, most heart-centered folks. He’s been hand harvesting seaweed from the Atlantic Ocean for the last 40 years and counting. I recommend signing up for his very thoughtful newsletter.
Many folks go-to for bulk herbs, me included!
Susan Pincus is an amazing human who grows organic herbs for the Northeast region - this is where the herbs for my classes comes from!
Herbs from Sawmill Herb Farm
A Selection of Favorite Herbal Artisans
Since I make most of my own herbal medicine, I don’t often have a need to purchase herbal products - though I do love to support friends and earth-conscious artisans who lovingly craft herbal medicine in small batches for market. Here are some of my favorites.
Looking for an herbal smoke blend to chill you out or help you kick a tobacco habit? Friends Johanna & SirRoan make a whole line of smoke blends that can also be made into tea for sipping or bathing.
A seller at our local greenmarket, FCF makes delicious herbal elixirs, pre-prepped tisanes, and other wonderful herbal products. I recommend the candied elecampane in particular for these times!
Swoon-worthy scents for your sensual pleasure - from the very practical salve & skincare to indulgent perfumes.
Michigan-based, woman-run company that makes vibrant tisane blends, salves, and more herbal goodies.
Friend and collaborator, Jordan Catherine Pagán handcrafts beautiful herbal elixirs and flower essences for your psycho-spiritual needs. She also offers private energy healing and breathwork sessions, which I highly recommend at this time!
Herbalist Lisa Fazio, based in the Adirondacks, crafts herbal tinctures, salves, bioregional incense, and more.
New Paltz based Tweefontein Herb Farm uses biodynamic and permaculture principles in their herb growing and has a line of herbal elixirs, fire cider, and more.
Wild Carrot, aka, Queen Anne’s Lace
(Daucus carota)
NYC-based Herb Shops
The Original NYC herbal apothecary.
In addition to offering membership-based online mystical curriculum, MINKA now offers bulk herbs and herbal products (including some that I make), available for pickup or delivery.
Atlantic Avenue herb shop accepting pre-orders for pickup and delivery.
Brooklyn herb shop open for pickups and deliveries.
Karen Rose offers herbal consultations as well as a range of herbal formulations for a variety of needs.
COVID-19 Herbal Resources
While there is currently no cure for COVID-19, the following resources may offer herbal guidance to lessen symptoms or shore up the immune system to better weather infection.
Bunce, Larken. COVID-19 Resources for Herbalists and Community Health Workers
O’Donoghue, Seán Pádraig. Thoughts on COVID-19
Wood Buzzard, Heather. COVID-19 Herbal Resource Hub
Photo by Katherine Hanlon on Unsplash
Have an herbal resource you’d like to share? Leave it in the comments!
And don’t forget to pre-order my new book, coming out in June: Northeast Medicinal Plants: Identify, Harvest, and Use 111 Wild Herbs for Health and Wellness (Timber Press).