Culpeper's Complete Herbal: Over 400 Herbs and Their Uses - Hardcover

by Nicholas Culpeper (Author), Diana Vowles (Introduction by)

A sumptuously illustrated edition with printed edges and complete text, perfect for herbalists and collectors alike.

English botanist and physician Nicholas Culpeper practiced his art in the 17th century. He wrote The Complete Herbal, a landmark text in the history of herbal medicine. Over time it has come to be known as Culpeper's Herbal.

This edition is a beautiful work that introduces the reader to hundreds of medicinal plants and their traditional uses. Culpeper, in keeping with the wisdom of his time, often aligns those plants to astrological signs, blending medicine and astrology. Each plant entry typically includes descriptions, growing advice, and instructions for preparation and use.

Culpeper translated information from his Latin sources into English so that the knowledge could be more readily available to the common person in his society. Representing a bridge between medieval traditions and emerging scientific inquiry in early modern England, Culpeper's Complete Herbal remains a remarkable work, influencing both folk medicine and modern herbalism.

Author Biography

Nicholas Culpeper (1618-54) was a physician and herbalist during the reign of Elizabeth I, whose practice in East London was famous for treating the poor for no charge. His masterwork, The English Physician (known as Culpeper's Herbal) was published posthumously.