What are your favorite resources, books, classes, etc. for learning about herbal medicine?

I thought it would be neat to have a thread where we share with each other our favorite resources for learning about herbal medicine—books, classes, blogs, healers and more—for both beginners and those with advanced knowledge...  

What do you like about this source? Did you learn something particularly useful or inspiring that you didn't find elsewhere? Is there something permie-ish about their approach?

I'll kick this off with 2 items I think might not be well known:

1.  A newcomer I adore for INSPIRATION using herbs in teas, beverages, tonics, culinary creations, crafts, HBA, and so much more is Botanical Anthology: Seasonal, Plant Centered Quarterly Magazine. It's a little $pendy at $25ish per issue, but has nearly 200 pages and with 45-50 articles from dozens of contributors, focusing on creative ways to incorporate herbs in your apothecary, kitchen, harvests, craft, celebrations and more. Here's a look at some of the topics in the Spring 2023 issue [I've underlined plants in my edible landscape that this issue inspired me to use in new ways]:

* Sip on carrot ginger shrub, chaga dandelion latte + nettle ginger beer
* Stuff magnolia leaves, make spring soups + bake a viola cake
* Whip up a lilac toner, steep spring bitters, + infuse a chaparral oil
* Forage hawthorn, red clover + tree buds
* Grow sea buckthorn + an herbal tea garden
* Create confetti egg poppers, dye with tulips + make wax sachets
* Celebrate Spring Equinox, Beltane, Earth Day, Mother’s Day + Father's Day with simple observances
*Meet Lauren May of Must Love Herbs


2. Mountain Rose Herbs' FREE HERBALISM PROJECT https://freeherbalismproject.com resource library is pretty awesome.

Before I found the forum, my resources for learning about herbs and herbal medicine were two books.

Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Herrod Buhner

My signature quotes are from this book:

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner

Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

"Prescription for Herbal Healing" by Phyllis Balch.

This book was highly recommended.  It says "An Easy to use A to Z reference to hundreds of common disorders and their herbal remedies."

She explains the herbs, their uses, and application such as tincture, teas, or tablets.


Since finding this wonderful forum, most of my resources have been topics folks have posted.

Especially the healing properties of mushrooms. Which I learned about starting in 2020.

Learningherbs.com is a paid resource, but the cost is very reasonable, and gives access to some of the most prominent names, in herbalism, like 7Song (also found at 7song.com), Rosalee de la Foret, Rosemary Gladstar, Jim McDonald, Kiva Rose, and more. They have Plant walks, herb monographs, recipes, classes on a wide variety of topics... I think it's likely the best bang for your herbal buck,  and has been for me, since about 2009.

The Essential Herbal (essentialherbal.com), with sisters Tina Sams & Maryanne Schwartz has been an excellent community and product resource for me, for at least the last 15yrs.

Herbal Academy is another excellent learning resource, that I trust.

Bulkherbs.com is a fair product resource.

Look also to NutritionFacts.org for information on herbal medicines and uses.  https://nutritionfacts.org/?s=herbal%20medicine

Nutrition Facts is a science-based nonprofit organization, run by Dr. Michael Greger. More here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgrQSrZneN8

Herbal Academy in Massachusetts is a good school to learn from if you want more formal studies.  I've taken one course from them and plan on another this fall. There are exams at the end of units, but I think optional, not sure though.  Very methodical and the information is enough, but not too much, just the right amount. I spent maybe 10 hours/week on studying, etc. so okay that way, too.