His new book, The Witching Herbs, is an in-depth exploration of 13 essential plants and herbs most closely associated with witchcraft--13 because it's the witching number and reflects the 13 months of the lunar calendar. The plants are poppy, clary sage, yarrow, rue, hyssop, vervain, mugwort, wormwood, datura, wild tobacco, henbane, belladonna, and mandrake.Roth writes simply and clearly on a vast amount of esoteric information that is not easily found elsewhere and will be greeted enthusiastically by those who already have extensive experience and libraries. It is unique in that it combines mysticism with practical instructions for growing each plant, based on Roth's 30 years of gardening expertise. Each chapter focuses on one plant and includes information on its unique plant spirit familiar, clear how-to instructions for magical projects, and pragmatic information on growing and cultivating.Roth writes, "This book is a great choice for intermediate-to-advanced witches who would like to work more closely with the traditional witching herbs, especially the baneful plants with their rather difficult spirits. Working directly with spirits is one of the fundamentals of the Craft."The Witching Herbs is the essential plant-worker's guide. Roth is not only a successful gardener, but also a magician and scholar of the occult. No other book blends clear, practical gardening techniques with equally lucid and sophisticated plant magic so successfully.

    Illustrated.

    It starts with master recipes for tinctures, salves, teas, capsules, oils, washes, and more. Once you understand how to make these basic formulations, you can access the more than 375 specific recipes that address a range of health concerns from the common cold and headaches to insomnia and digestive issues. Comprehensive, thoroughly researched, and beautifully packaged, Master Recipes from the Herbal Apothecary will become your go-to guide for sustained health and wellness.

    One of the system's last active practitioners, Phyllis D. Light has studied and worked with herbs, foods, and other healing techniques for more than thirty years. In everyday language, she explains how Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine was passed down orally through the generations by herbalists and healers who cared for people in their communities with the natural tools on hand. Several cultural and healing traditions merged together over a period of time to create Southern Folk Medicine, which draws from the medicine systems of the Greeks (humoral system, astrology), Native Americans (indigenous plant use, spiritual traditions, elements), African (spiritual traditions, foods), and the folk medicine of the British Isles (elements, humors, superstitions, herbs). Light shows that this is not a forgotten system, but an active, viable approach to herbalism that is readily understood and easily put into practice.  A fourth-generation herbalist and healer, the author began her studies in the deep woods of North Alabama with lessons from her grandmother, whose knowledge had its roots in her Creek/Cherokee heritage. Light continued as an apprentice with the late Tommie Bass, a nationally renowned folk herbalist, as well as other herbal Elders throughout the Appalachians and the Deep South. Light's extensive knowledge and experience informs her explanation of the Southern Blood Types, which is different from any other indigenous system. The four elements and four tastes form the energetic foundation of the principles and practices, which recognize each individual's uniqueness and the fact that people with the same disorder might have totally different symptoms and therefore might there need totally different herbal remedies. Not only an elucidating description of Southern Folk Medicine, but also a fascinating account of how a healthcare system evolved to meet the needs of the people of this country, this book presents a comprehensive look at a uniquely American concept of healing based on self-care and personal responsibility.

    Key features include:- use of compatible perennials;- non-invasive planting techniques;- emphasis on biodiversity;- specifically adaptable to local climate, landscape, and soil conditions;- highly productive output of edibles.Now, picture your backyard as one incredibly lush garden, filled with edible flowers, bursting with fruit and berries, and carpeted with scented herbs and tangy salad greens. The visual impact is of Monet's palette, a wash of color, texture, and hue. But this is no still life. The flowers nurture endangered pollinators. Bright-featured songbirds feed on abundant berries and gather twigs for their nests.The plants themselves are grouped in natural communities, where each species plays a role in building soil, deterring pests, storing nutrients, and luring beneficial insects. And finally, you—good ol' homo sapiens—are an integral part of the scene. Your garden tools are resting against a nearby tree, and have a slight patina of rust, because this garden requires so little maintenance. You recline into a hammock to admire your work. You have created a garden paradise.This is no dream, but rather an ecological garden, which takes the principles of permaculture and applies them on a home-scale. There is nothing technical, intrusive, secretive, or expensive about this form of gardening. All that is required is some botanical knowledge (which is in this book) and a mindset that defines a backyard paradise as something other than a carpet of grass fed by MiracleGro.

    It is an illustrated encyclopedic guide to more than two hundred medicinal plants found in North America, with descriptions of each plant's appearance and uses, and directions for methods of use and dosage. Native American traditions are compared with traditional uses of the same plants among other cultures where the science of herbs has flourished, particularly in Russia and China. Included is an annotated bibliography of pertinent books and periodicals.

    Are fungi food or medicine, beneficial decomposers or deadly toadstools ready to kill anyone foolhardy enough to eat them? In fact, there is truth in all these statements. In Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares, author Greg Marley reveals some of the wonders and mysteries of mushrooms, and our conflicting human reactions to them.With tales from around the world, Marley, a seasoned mushroom expert, explains that some cultures are mycophilic (mushroom-loving), like those of Russia and Eastern Europe, while others are intensely mycophobic (mushroom-fearing), including, the US. He shares stories from China, Japan, and Korea-where mushrooms are interwoven into the fabric of daily life as food, medicine, fable, and folklore-and from Slavic countries where whole families leave villages and cities during rainy periods of the late summer and fall and traipse into the forests for mushroom-collecting excursions.From the famous Amanita phalloides (aka the Death Cap), reputed killer of Emperor Claudius in the first century AD, to the beloved chanterelle (cantharellus cibarius) known by at least eighty-nine different common names in almost twenty-five languages, Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares explores the ways that mushrooms have shaped societies all over the globe.This fascinating and fresh look at mushrooms-their natural history, their uses and abuses, their pleasures and dangers-is a splendid introduction to both fungi themselves and to our human fascination with them. From useful descriptions of the most foolproof edible species to revealing stories about hallucinogenic or poisonous, yet often beautiful, fungi, Marley's long and passionate experience will inform and inspire readers with the stories of these dark and mysterious denizens of our forest floor.

    In his sincere and gentle manner, Paul brings over 15 years experience as he writes about: the medicinal use of herbs, including illustrations of plants easily found in the wild; history and religious lore with specific background information on individual herbs; herb gathering and storage the magickal way; the herbalist as a magickal practitioner; incenses, oils, amulets, elixirs, balms and fluid condensers including detailed information on how to create them; herbs and their relationship with gemstones, etc.; herbal links with astrology and the tarot; rituals; the use of herbs in seasonal festivals, initiations, handfastings, purifications, etc. Over 50,000 sold!

    Deepen your connection to the earth and watch your magickal skills blossom. Ellen Dugan presents a variety of ways to honor and work with the plant kingdom in this charming hands-on guide to green magick and spirituality. Designed to enhance any tradition or style of the Craft, this handy herbal reference provides the physical description, folklore, magickal qualities, and spellwork correspondences for a wealth of flowers, trees, and herbs, and features forty-seven botanical drawings.Conjuring a Garden with Heart Green Witchery in the City Wildflowers and Witchery Magick of the Hedgerows The Magick and Folklore of Trees Gothic Herbs and Forbidden Plants Herbs and Plants of the Sabbats Herbs of the Stars Magickal Herbalism Praise: The conversational tone of Garden Witch's Herbal is a refreshing change from other garden-variety horticulture books and makes Dugan's herbal entertaining as well as informative.--New Age Retailer

    Whether readers have 20 acres of plants or only a window box, real Witches can cultivate a powerful garden that expands and deepens their magic.

    Full-color illustrated guide to identifying 200 Western mushrooms by their key features.

    More and more people are turning to herbal medicine for solutions to their health concerns because they believe that herbs are gentler, safer, and more affordable than pharmaceuticals. Yet how can they be sure of what really works and what is right for them? Despite the glut of information on herbs, these remedies have rarely been compared objectively with drugs. That's just what consumers need, so they can rest assured that the decisions they make will help them get well-- not harm them. "The Herbal Drugstore" sifts through all the studies, facts, and opinions to provide objective, concise profiles of more than 280 drugs and drug categories, along with their herbal alternatives. For each health problem, you can weigh the functions and side effects of the most common pharmaceutical treatments against the benefits and cautions of the best-known herbal remedies. You also get: * Accurate dosage instructions for using herbs safely and effectively* Essential information about potential herb-drug and herb-herb interactions* A comprehensive chart that lists drugs and their herbal alternatives side by side for easy reference* In-depth profiles of nearly 60 herbs, with explanations of herb sources, uses, and safety issues* A shopper's guide for choosing among various herb forms and brands* Detailed instructions-- for making your own herbal remedies* A resource directory-- of herbal products, practitioners, and publications Whether you're a newcomer to herbal medicine or you've been using herbs for years, "The Herbal Drugstore" arms you with clear, concise, impartial information that puts you in control of your health. Now you can feel confident that when choosing between herbal and pharmaceutical therapies, you have the power of "The Herbal Drugstore" behind you.

    Headaches, indigestion, fatigue, allergies, anxiety, eczema, high blood pressure, and other conditions are clues to a deeper imbalance in your body, and learning to read those clues is a key step in maintaining optimal health. Herbalist Maria Noël Groves shows you how to read your body’s signals and support your own wellness with herbal remedies and other natural treatments. You’ll learn how each of your major body systems — respiratory, digestive, immune, nervous, memory, reproductive, circulatory, and more — optimally functions, and you’ll discover how to use natural remedies to nourish and repair problem areas, restore lost vitality, support your body as a whole, and prevent future problems. Groves includes in-depth instructions, with step-by-step photographs, for making your own herbal remedies, as well as expert guidance on buying and effectively using commercial preparations.

    A guide to 32 of the best and most common edible wild plants in North America, with detailed information on how to identify them, where they are found, how and when they are harvested, which parts are used, how they are prepared, as well as their culinary use, ecology, conservation, and cultural history.