Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West (review)

THE book to have and to read as you start wandering the highways and byways of the Pacific West in search of wildcrafted medicinals.

Michael Moore (RIP) had an encyclopedic knowledge and absolutely succinct and often hilarious way of describing the plants and their uses.

This well worn tome has accompanied me on many a wildcrafting trip, car ride and journey into our woods over the past 30 years. And rested in my hands in front of the woodstove with a cup of tea as I savored the wisdom within. Of course, this beauty has been replaced with a second copy because of its fragile state.

The illustrations by Mimi Kamp are a masterwork of botanical illustration. Coupled with Michael's sharp descriptions they make identification hard to get wrong.

Michael's monographs are so on point that at one time I identified Yerba Buena (at that time Satureja douglassi, now Clinopdium something) by his description of its scent. It was his overall writing about this plant that had me looking high and low on our land and the adjoining similar properties to find it and I certainly did!

Much of his work is available still at the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine website courtesy of his partner, Donna Chesner.

Now get out there and identify and make some medicine. I'll meet you at the stinging nettle!