Culpeper's Complete Herbal: A Compendium of Herbs and Their Uses, Annotated for Modern Herbalists, Healers, and Witches

By Nicholas Culpeper

Book Overview

Description of Microcosm's Fall 2022 edition: For the last 350 years, since the reign of Elizabeth I, Nicholas Culpeper's encyclopedic compendium of the uses and properties of medicinal herbs has been unrivaled in completeness or charm. From Adder's Tongue to Yellow Loosestrife, each of the 316 herbs is described in detail, along with its "government and virtues," remedies and cautions--much of which has held up remarkably well through many advancements in scientific understanding. This new edition has been updated and annotated by Dr. J.J. Pursell, author of The Herbal Apothecary. Dr. Pursell has added modern scientific names, usage notes and contraindications, and a fascinating new introduction that frames Culpeper's remarkable life and work through a modern lens. This timely upgrade to a classic work retains the brilliance of the original while making its valuable information available to new generations of herbalists, house witches, students, and anyone who wants to know more about the plants growing in their backyard.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1648411673
• ISBN13: 9781648411670
• Release Date: December 2022
• Publisher: Microcosm Publishing
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Not the book I ordered

The Culpeper’s herb book I ordered said in its reviews that it has colored photos and is great for identifying herbs so that you don’t get the wrong plant. What arrived is a thick paperback edition that doesn’t have even any illustrations or drawings. It is more like an old classic style book. I’m sure it’s interesting to read etc. but definitely not what I thought I was going to receive! I don’t see an option to submit a photo but I would like to. I was disappointed, and think the company should at least send the buyer a picture of what they are going to send.

Great person to buy from

I ordered this item for my father in law. I asked that it be shipped to him. The item was returned to the seller and she promptly refunded my money back with out my even knowing!!! THAT IS WHAT I CALL GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.

a classic book for the student of holistic health!

This is a great book with wonderful color illustrations by one of the master practitioners of our Western Medical Tradition. This is one of the few books that identifies each herb with its planet association. This relationship is an important element to an holistic approach to health. "As above so below". "

An Valuable and Even Charming Reference for Herbs

It is rare to find an herbal reference guide to herbs so charmingly and exactly illustrated. Gardeners will find the illustrations helpful to see what less familiar herbs look like. But Culpeper's Color Herbal offers much more. Each herb is listed individually with a color illustration, a description, other information, specific exerpts from 16th century herbalist Nicholas Culpepper, and description of modern medicinal uses. This allows the reader, or the herbalist, the unique opportunity to compare traditional uses of the past with modern uses and current scientific research on active compounds. It is interesting to see which herbs science has proven to have medicinal value similar to the old uses. I was surprised, for instance, to find that Culpepper's old remedy for bronchitis, Colt's Foot (a familiar garden weed), is actually the source for a substance used in modern over the counter cough remedies! I was even more surprised when an Eyebright solution stopped a case of conjunctivitis - my first venture into herbal treatments! Descriptions are given for which parts of the herbs are useful medicinally. Appendixes I have not seen elsewhere provide 1) definitions of old time ailments, like the agues, for which old Culpepper prescribed, 2) a listing by ailment which herbs old Cullpepper used for which ailments and 3)a modern listing by ailment of which herbs are considered useful now. All of this information is presented extremely clearly and concisely - about half a page is devoted to each herb - making it an easy reference in a world of complicated herbals. I would not say this is THE total, definitive guide to herbs. It IS an herbal to come back to time and again in my library for reference and just plain pleasure. I recommend it for beginner through intermediate herbalist, those who want to venture into / expand their herb garden into specifics, the history lover and to the curious. A keeper.