The Wild Wisdom of Weeds is the only book on foraging and edible weeds to focus on the thirteen weeds found all over the world, each of which represents a complete food source and extensive medical pharmacy and first-aid kit. More than just a field guide to wild edibles, it is a global plan for human survival.When Katrina Blair was eleven she had a life-changing experience where wild plants spoke to her, beckoning her to become a champion of their cause. Since then she has spent months on end taking walkabouts in the wild, eating nothing but what she forages, and has become a wild-foods advocate, community activist, gardener, and chef, teaching and presenting internationally about foraging and the healthful lifestyle it promotes.Katrina Blair s philosophy in The Wild Wisdom of Weedsis sobering, realistic, and ultimately optimistic. If we can open our eyes to see the wisdom found in these weeds right under our noses, instead of trying to eradicate an invasive, we will achieve true food security. The Wild Wisdom of Weeds is about healing ourselves both in body and in spirit, in an age where technology, commodity agriculture, and processed foods dictate the terms of our intelligence. But if we can become familiar with these thirteen edible survival weeds found all over the world, we will never go hungry, and we will become closer to our own wild human instincts all the while enjoying the freshest, wildest, and most nutritious food there is. For free The thirteen plants found growing in every region across the world are: dandelion, mallow, purslane, plantain, thistle, amaranth, dock, mustard, grass, chickweed, clover, lambsquarter, and knotweed. These special plants contribute to the regeneration of the earth while supporting the survival of our human species; they grow everywhere where human civilization exists, from the hottest deserts to the Arctic Circle, following the path of human disturbance. Indeed, the more humans disturb the earth and put our food supply at risk, the more these thirteen plants proliferate. It s a survival plan for the ages.Including over one hundred unique recipes, Katrina Blair s book teaches us how to prepare these wild plants from root to seed in soups, salads, slaws, crackers, pestos, seed breads, and seed butters; cereals, green powders, sauerkrauts, smoothies, and milks; first-aid concoctions such as tinctures, teas, salves, and soothers; self-care/beauty products including shampoo, mouthwash, toothpaste (and brush), face masks; and a lot more. Whether readers are based at home or traveling, this book aims to empower individuals to maintain a state of optimal health with minimal cost and effort. "

For many people, the story of Charles Darwin goes like this: he ventured to the Galapagos Islands on the Beagle, was inspired by the biodiversity of the birds he saw there, and immediately returned home to write his theory of evolution. But this simplified narrative is inaccurate and lacking: it leaves out a major part of Darwin's legacy. He published On the Origin of Species nearly thirty years after his voyages. And much of his life was spent experimenting with and observing plants. Darwin was a brilliant and revolutionary botanist whose observations and theories were far ahead of his time. With Darwin's Most Wonderful Plants, biologist and gardening expert Ken Thompson restores this important aspect of Darwin's biography while also delighting in the botanical world that captivated the famous scientist. Thompson traces how well Darwin's discoveries have held up, revealing that many are remarkably long-lasting. Some findings are only now being confirmed and extended by high-tech modern research, while some have been corrected through recent analysis. We learn from Thompson how Darwin used plants to shape his most famous theory and then later how he used that theory to further push the boundaries of botanical knowledge. We also get to look over Darwin's shoulder as he labors, learning more about his approach to research and his astonishing capacity for hard work. Darwin's genius was to see the wonder and the significance in the ordinary and mundane, in the things that most people wouldn't look at twice. Both Thompson and Darwin share a love for our most wonderful plants and the remarkable secrets they can unlock. This book will instill that same joy in casual gardeners and botany aficionados alike.

In the depths of the Cotswolds, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire, lies one of the most beautiful tree gardens in the world, known as Westonbirt Arboretum. Here you can find around 15,000 trees, each one lovingly labelled. They offer the perfect, picturesque setting for escaping from the pressures of everyday life. Now, for the first time, 100 of the most popular British trees form the basis of this beautiful pocket guide. Illustrated with artwork depicting the tree and leaf, this covetable little book will educate and entertain with wonderfully concise text by one of the world's leading tree experts from the Arboretum. Pop this book in your pocket for a great day out spotting some of the most celebrated features of our landscape!

A guide book for those who appreciate autumn's vibrant spectacle. Rich with color photographs that capture the hues of the season, this volume offers a species-by-species guide to the leaves of 100 species of the eastern United States and the fruits and seeds (the woodland harvests) of an additional 47 species, paying particular attention to where the plants occur and their contribution to the fall color palate. The authors explain the biological processes that result in leaf-color change and offer helpful tips on when and where to go see the best color.

Learn to identify North Carolina and South Carolina trees with this handy field guide, organized by leaf type and attachment. With this famous field guide by award-winning author and naturalist Stan Tekiela, you can make tree identification simple, informative, and productive. There's no need to look through dozens of photos of trees that don't grow in the Carolinas. Learn about 153 species found in the region, organized by leaf type and attachment. Just look at a tree's leaves, then go to the correct section to learn what it is. Fact-filled information contains the particulars that you want to know, while full-page photographs provide the visual detail needed for accurate identification. Book Features 153 species: Every native tree plus common non-natives Easy to use: Thumb tabs show leaf type and attachment Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes Stan's Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts Professional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page images This new edition includes updated photographs; expanded information; a Quick Compare section for leaves, needles, and silhouettes; and even more of Stan's expert insights. So grab Trees of the Carolinas Field Guide for your next outing-to help ensure that you positively identify the trees that you see.

Indiana Dunes, located on the picturesque coast of Lake Michigan, is one of the most biologically diverse parks in the US national park system. Keen hikers can spot white mayapple blooms, orange-fringed orchids, pink lady slippers, and more. Wildflowers of the Indiana Dunes National Park offers visitors a unique handbook highlighting over 160 of the common and exceptional wildflowers found along the trails of Indiana Dunes National Park and the surrounding area. This accessible field guide bypasses the dry nature of many wildflower guides. In addition to the usual scientific species names, descriptions, and bloom periods, Nathanael Pilla and Scott Namestnik offer deeper narratives-folklore surrounding the flowers, look-alikes, animals associated with the plants-that will be remembered much more easily than the length of a petal. Illustrated with over 350 color photographs, Wildflowers of the Indiana Dunes National Park will be an asset to the casual hiker of Indiana Dunes National Park, a useful tool to the experienced botanist, and a delight to anyone interested in wildflowers.

"The authors of this introductory text are acknowledged experts on tropical American orchids with decades of combined experience of orchids in both the wild and culture. You could not find a better trio of enthusiasts and specialists to introduce you to the wonderful and occasionally bizarre world of tropical American orchids." from the Foreword by Phillip J. Cribb

Orchids of Tropical America is an entertaining, informative, and splendidly illustrated introduction to the orchid family for enthusiasts and newcomers seeking to learn about more than 120 widespread orchid genera. Joe E. Meisel, Ronald S. Kaufmann, and Franco Pupulin bring alive the riot of colors, extraordinary shapes, and varied biology and ecology of the principal orchid genera ranging from Mexico and the Caribbean to Bolivia and Brazil. Orchids, likely the most diverse family of plants on earth, reach their peak diversity in the tropical countries of the Western Hemisphere, including, for example, more than 2,500 species in Brazil and 4,000 in Ecuador. The book also highlights reserves in the American tropics where travelers can enjoy orchids in the wild.

Whether you journey abroad to see these unique plants, raise them in your home, or admire them from afar, this book offers fascinating insights into the diversity and natural history of orchids. Beyond the plant and flower descriptions, Orchids of Tropical America is packed with informative stories about the ecology and history of each genus. Pollination ecology is given in detail, with an emphasis on how floral features distinctive to the genus are linked to interaction with pollinators. This book also features information on medicinal and commercial uses, notes on the discoverers, and relevant historical data.

The easy-to-use identification system permits quick recognition of the most common orchid groups in Central and South America. Genus descriptions are given in plain language designed for a nonscientific audience but will prove highly useful to advanced botanists as well. Descriptions focus on external morphology, and great care has been taken to ensure the guide is useful in the field without reliance on microscopes or dissections. Equally valuable as a field guide, a desktop reference, or a gift, Orchids of Tropical America will make an excellent addition to any orchid lover's library.

Visit the website for this book at www.orchidsoftropicalamerica.com."

Cannabis, one of humanity's first domesticated plants, has been utilized for spiritual, therapeutic, recreational and even punitive reasons for thousands of years. Humans have excellent practical knowledge of the uses of cannabis, yet limited understanding of its sociocultural consequences, past or present, due to its widespread prohibition. In Cannabis Chris Duvall explores the cultural history and geography of humanity's most widely distributed crop, which supplies both hemp and marijuana. This book focuses on the plant's currently most valuable product, the psychoactive drug marijuana, and at the same time provides a global view of the plant, with coverage of little-studied regions including Africa and Australia. Cannabis also covers the history of hemp and its use as a fibre source for ropes and textiles, as a source of edible hempseeds and as a source of industrial oil for paints and fuel. This book does not advocate either the prohibition or legalization of the drug but challenges received wisdom on both sides of the debate.Cannabis explores and analyses a wide range of sources to provide a better understanding of its current prohibition, as well as of the diversity of human-cannabis relationships across the globe. This, the author argues, is necessary to redress the oversimplistic portrayals of marijuana and hemp that have dominated discourse on the subject, and ultimately to improve how the crop is managed worldwide. This highly accessible, richly illustrated volume is an essential read given rapidly evolving debates about legality and in light of changes in the criminalization of marijuana in Uruguay, some U.S. states and other jurisdictions worldwide.

Learn to identify Arizona trees with this handy field guide, organized by leaf type and attachment. With this famous field guide by award-winning author and naturalist Stan Tekiela, you can make tree identification simple, informative, and productive. There's no need to look through dozens of photos of trees that don't grow in Arizona. Learn about 135 species found in the state, organized by leaf type and attachment. Just look at a tree's leaves, then go to the correct section to learn what it is. Fact-filled information contains the particulars that you want to know, while full-page photographs provide the visual detail needed for accurate identification. Book Features 135 species: Every native tree plus common non-natives Easy to use: Thumb tabs show leaf type and attachment Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes Stan's Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts Professional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page images This new edition includes updated photographs; expanded information; a Quick Compare section for leaves, needles, and silhouettes; and even more of Stan's expert insights. So grab Trees of Arizona Field Guide for your next outing-to help ensure that you positively identify the trees that you see.

A Powerful and Poetic Call to Ecofeminism & Environmental Activism"In this book Jean Bolen expresses the essence of our deep connection to and inseparability from trees." -Alice Walker Winner 2020 Indie Book Award for Nature/Environment #1 New Release in Forestry, Forests & Rainforests This masterful work by internationally known author and speaker Jean Shinoda Bolen provides an insightful look into the fusion of ecological issues and global gender politics. Of trees and women. This book on the importance of trees grew out of Bolen's experience mourning the loss of a Monterey pine that was cut down in her neighborhood. That, combined with her practice of walking among tall trees, led to her deep connection with trees and an understanding of their many complexities. From their anatomy and physiology, to trees as archetypal and sacred symbols, Bolen expertly explores the dynamics of ecological activism spiritual activism and sacred feminism. And, she invites us to join the movement to save trees. Stories of those making a difference. While there is still much work to be done to address environmental problems, there are many stories of individuals and organizations rising up to make a change and help save our planet. The words and stories that Bolen weaves throughout this book are both inspirational and down-to-earth, calling us to realize what is happening to not only our trees, but our people. By writing about both the work of organizations like Greenpeace and the UN Commission on the Status of Women, Bolen highlights her passions and shares her unique vision for the world. In Like a Tree learn more about: The dynamic nature of trees from their anatomy to their role as an archetypal symbol Pressing social issues such as deforestation, global warming, and overpopulation What it means to be a "tree person" If you enjoyed books like The Hidden Life of Trees, Wise Trees, Around the World in 80 Trees, or Braiding Sweetgrass, then you'll love Like a Tree: How Trees, Women, and Tree People Can Save the Planet.

This invaluable book provides an illustrated ecology of eastern seashore habitats, including the ocean and continental shelf, the intertidal zone, sand dunes and beaches, and salt marshes. Donald D. Cox uses nontechnical terminology in order to provide clear references for the general public as well as professional and amateur naturalists and students. He explores the origins of the oceans, tides, wind belts, and land plants and includes useful illustrations for aid in identification. Most significantly, this guide brings together a wide range of information relative to ocean and seashore ecosystems. Cox includes the types of plants that grow near the seashore; adaptations that help plants survive in seashore habitats; poisonous, medicinal, and edible plants of the ocean and seashore; seasonal changes in the seashore habitat; and methods of naming plants and the folklore of common names. The author also provides complete and accurate details for those readers who are interested in collecting plants and preserving plant collections. The final chapter offers non-technical investigations, activities, and projects. Conservation and habitat preservation are emphasized throughout the book.

Fifty-two devotions based on plants named in the Bible.

Trees have inspired a very special magical alphabet and divinatory system, Ogham. This beautiful and mysterious writing system is very much a part of the world of the Celts. Its association with the God Ogma points to its importance to the Celtic priesthood known as the Druids and their nature wisdom, their ancient and magical relationship with trees and with sacred groves. Woods have this ability to rejuvenate and heal, to smooth away stress and anxiety, and as you linger under the trees a dreamlike quality develops, and you find your mind drifting in ways associated with the practice of meditation, the brainwave patterns change, and the rhythms of your body seem to slow and strengthen. Come with us for a walk in the woods, explore the primeval forests of the mind, meet the beautiful and magical trees of the world, and find out how they might communicate their wisdom to us.

This beautiful book is a celebration of the mighty oak, through the passion and vision of artist Mark Frith. Mark has drawn large scale portraits of 22 of Britain's oldest living oaks, with exceptional detail conveyed in these intricate graphite works, bringing the ancient features of these majestic individuals to life on the page. Growing up in the Gloucestershire countryside, Mark enjoyed a childhood experiencing the natural world and in particular developed a huge closeness to a local ancient character - the Great Oak at Nibley Green. Mark would return to this tree in 2010 as the first of his series of oak drawings, commissioned by the publisher, poet, philanthropist and planter of trees Felix Dennis. These large-scale drawings measuring 1.7 m wide took Mark three and a half years to complete and were finished just before Felix Dennis's death in 2014. Following Felix Dennis's wishes, his estate bequeathed 10 of the drawings to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This stunning book is the ideal gift for art and tree lovers alike, and a fitting dedication to these ancient individuals. I hope that in some modest way these drawings express man's profound relationship with the natural world, and, if it has one, something of the soul of the ancient oak tree. Mark Frith

Wilson was employed by Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum to travel the world seeking rare plants. This is his autobiographical description of his finds and adventures, an important botanical work of Wilson's travels (and those of his predecessors) through Asia, Africa, Australia, and The Tropics.

Determining which family a plant belongs to is a crucial horticultural skill. Organizing plants by family provides a framework for thinking about plant characteristics and for arranging thousands of plant names in a coherent and predictive pattern. This is especially important now, as advances in DNA analysis have recently altered much of the world of botanical taxonomy. In Temperate Garden Plant Families, Peter Goldblatt and John C. Manning teach readers how to identify the most horticulturally important temperate plant families. Introductory information includes an overview of family classification, plant nomenclature, and plant morphology. The comprehensive A-Z of plants includes profiles that include information on the number of species and genera, plant form, flowers, fruit, and a short description. Each profile is illustrated with colour photographs and botanical illustrations. This comprehensive identification guide is for botany and horticultural professionals, nurserymen, advanced gardeners, and students of botany and horticulture.

E. J. H. Corner's perennial favorite "The Life of Plants," copiously stocked with now-classic botanical illustrations, is one of the most fascinating and original introductions to the world of plants ever produced--from the botanist to the amateur, no reader will finish this book without gaining a much richer understanding of plants, their history, and their relationship with the environments around them.

Five writers capture the majesty and grandeur of California's famed redwoods Originally published in celebration of Save the Redwoods League's 100th anniversary, and here newly adapted for a trade audience, The Once and Future Forest explores the grandeur of the redwood ecosystems that sustain California and the deep love they have engendered in scientists, writers, artists, and the general public. At the heart of this celebration are five expansive essays by Gary Ferguson, David Harris, Meg Lowman, Greg Sarris, and David Rains Wallace. These pieces discuss a multitude of topics, including the fascinating science of redwoods, the League's history of redwoods conservation, and the big trees' significance to Indigenous cultures; but what unites the essays aside from their theme is awe. Readers will be inspired to protect these majestic beings and to look for a more ecologically informed future.

To many plant lovers winter seems like lost time, but a glance at the twigs of trees and shrubs shows that this does not need not be the case. In contrast to other life forms, trees and shrubs do not die aboveground, but enclose their shoots for the next year in buds, presenting many characters which hardly change over time. Using these bud and twig characters, deciduous trees and shrubs can be classified reliably in winter, which is particularly important during planting time. Author Bernd Schulz's unrivalled masterpiece is a practical guide to identifying trees and shrubs in winter. Comprehensive and easy to use, it contains over 700 species identifiable via their winter buds and twigs. The illustrated identification keys are easy to use, and a summary set of keys are provided as an appendix. Detailed descriptions are accompanied with over 1,400 colour illustrations. 'This monumental taxonomic work is one reference work that will help us all to be more confident in the identification of a comprehensive list of winter twigs and buds. Tony Kirkham Head of Arboretum, Gardens and Horticultural Services, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew