Books & Offline Knowledge
Learning medicinal plants starts with getting the ID right. The Prepared calls the Peterson field guides the gold standard, and the Western edition covers plants found across Wyoming and the Rockies. The Modern Herbal Dispensatory, also on The Prepared's list, shows how to turn herbs into tinctures, salves and teas. Michael Moore's Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West is a regional classic from a well-known Southwest herbalist. Herbal remedies are not FDA-evaluated to treat disease, so never use a wild plant unless you are sure of its ID and ask your doctor about interactions.
Why it's hereThe Prepared calls Peterson guides the gold standard for plant ID. The Western edition covers the plants you'll find in Wyoming and the Rockies.
Recommended by The Prepared| Rank | Product & source | Key note | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Top Pick | A Peterson Field Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs (Foster & Hobbs)Recommended by The Prepared | The Prepared calls Peterson guides the gold standard for plant ID. | ~$28Price checked Oct 20, 2026at barnesandnoble.com View product | |
| Runner-up | The Modern Herbal Dispensatory (Thomas Easley & Steven Horne)Recommended by The Prepared | The Prepared's medicine-making pick: how to turn herbs into tinctures, salves and teas, by a clinical herbalist. | ~$25.95Price checked Oct 20, 2026at barnesandnoble.com View product | |
| Runner-up | Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West (Michael Moore)Troy's pick (regional classic) | A regional classic by a well-known Southwest herbalist, covering wild medicinal plants of the Rocky Mountain states. | ~$24.95Price checked Oct 20, 2026at barnesandnoble.com View product | |
Herbal remedies are not FDA-evaluated to treat disease. Never eat or use a wild plant unless you are certain of its ID; some look-alikes are deadly. Ask your doctor about interactions, especially if pregnant, nursing or on medication.
