Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places (Paperback)

~ (Author) "There are hundreds of fascinating, delicious wild vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, and herbs growing in our neighborhoods, backyards, parks, and forests that we overlook..." (more)
Key Phrases: sow thistle flowers, waterleaf flowers, groundnut flowers, North America, United States, The Indians (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places shows readers how to find and prepare more than five hundred different plants for nutrition and better health, including such common plants as mullein (a tea made from the leaves and flowers suppresses a cough), stinging nettle (steam the leaves and you have a tasty dish rich in iron), cattail (cooked stalks taste similar to corn and are rich in protein), and wild apricots (an infusion made with the leaves is good for stomach aches and disgestive disorders).

More than 260 detailed line drawings help readers identify a wide range of plants -- many of which are suited for cooking by following the more than thirty recipes included in this book. There are literally hundreds of plants readily available underfoot waiting to be harvested and used either as food or as a potential therapeutic. This book is both a field guide to nature's bounty and a source of intriguing information about the plants that surround us.

About the Author

"Wildman" Steve Brill's nature tours of New York City's Central Park are widely attended in the spring and throughout the summer. He is an educator, broadcaster, and naturalist based in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; 1 edition (May 20, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688114253
• ISBN-13: 978-0688114251
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,494 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

127 of 130 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Slightly Disappointed, October 16, 2003

By	DigitalSorceress (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews

On the whole, this book is interesting and informative, but I was slightly disappointed with the logical layout. The information in the book is fairly detailed and interesting, but is presented in a narrative manner. The book takes a season/habitat based approach... I guess I was expecting a more trait-based heirarchical listing system. Something that would facilitate taking an unknown plant and quickly looking up the answers to "what is it? is it edible? is it medicinal? if so, what are the details"

The approach also tends to give details on a few interesting / especially good flavored or nutricious plants and then gives a names-only grocery list of "Edible and medicinal plants" and then one of "For Observation only"

So, in summary, if you know a bit about general plant identification and your focus is on what's available for the season and habitat, this book is a valuable resource, but if you're looking for a field identification and classification tool, this is probably not the best choice.

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the top 10 herb books in print., June 28, 1999

By	Charles Garcia (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a professional herbalist and herbal teacher I have over two hundred herbals and field guides at my disposal. Steve "Wildman" Brill leads the field in combining an herbal and edible plant field guide, which is readable, comprehensive, and most important ACCURATE. His final chapter of recipes will make most readers want to head into the backcountry just to find the proper edibles. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for the beginner or the professional herbalist.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very nice, June 22, 2005

By	Damosurfer (Orono, ME) - See all my reviews

Although a little on the introductory side, I really enjoyed this book. I am a researcher in botany areas and I can say that the author does a great job at describing and aiding to identify and separate useful plants from obnoxious look-alikes. Somebody here suggested that the book could be organized in some hierarchical form. That is equivalent of a botanical taxonomy key. It would be great but there are keys for the purpose of organizing the info and helping to pick plants apart. I don't think it is essential here.
Somebody else said that the pretty drawings are only on the cover... is there a more literal analog of "judging the book by its cover"? While the drawings inside are black and white they serve the purpose. They are very well drawn and they are useful in identifying the plant in question. Tha author is also very conscientious and will not hesitate to say he doesn't know something and advices caution when pertinent. Excellent job.
The bottom line: it is very interesting, well organized and it sparks your curiosity. And if you wish to have a deeper treaty on any particular topic or plant you can always refer to a more specialized publication. $15? You can't go wrong.