Ocean State Libraries

A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. In Wicked Plants, Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature's most appalling creations. It's an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. You'll learn which plants to avoid (like exploding shrubs), which plants make themselves exceedingly unwelcome (like...

"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Pollan, a radical challenge to how we think about drugs, and an exploration into the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants -- and the equally powerful taboos. Of all the things humans rely on plants for--sustenance, beauty, fragrance, flavor, fiber--surely the most curious is our use of them is to change consciousness: to stimulate or calm, fiddle with or completely alter, the qualities...

There's food growing everywhere! You'll be amazed by how many of the plants you see each day are actually nutritious edibles. Ideal for first-time foragers, this book features 70 edible weeds, flowers, mushrooms, and ornamental plants typically found in urban and suburban neighborhoods. Full-color photographs make identification easy, while tips on common plant locations, pesticides, pollution, and dangerous flora make foraging as safe and simple...

"A simple description of a flowering plant's life cycle through the seasons." --

Don't throw out your kitchen scraps - grow them! Discover how you can transform leftover pomegranate seeds, mango pits, and dried bits of gingerroot into thriving plants. From the common carrot to the exotic cherimoya, you'll be amazed at the gardening possibilities hidden in the foods you eat.  With clear illustrations and step-by-step instructions, this innovative guide shows you how to cultivate 68 common shoots, seeds, pits, roots, and tubers...

An array of abundant wild foods is available to hikers, campers, foragers, or anyone interested in living closer to the earth. Written by a leading expert on wild foods and a well-known teacher of survival skills, Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants is more than a listing of plant types--it teaches how to recognize edible plants and where to find them, their medicinal and nutritional properties, and their growing cycles. This new edition features...

The Northeast offers a veritable feast for foragers, and with Leda Meredith as your trusted guide you will learn how to safely find and identify an abundance of delicious wild plants. The plant profiles in Northeast Foraging include clear, color photographs, identification tips, guidance on how to ethically harvest, and suggestions for eating and preserving. A handy seasonal planner details which plants are available during every season. Thorough,...

Fill your garden with native plants, not deer. The benefits of growing natives are plentiful--less upkeep, more pollinators, and a better environment. In Deer-Resistant Native Plants for the Northeast, Ruth Rogers Clausen and Gregory D. Tepper provide a list of natives that have one more benefit--they are proven to help prevent your garden from becoming a deer buffet. From annuals and perennials to grasses and shrubs, every suggested plant includes...

From deterring insect pests with hot peppers to encouraging strawberries by bordering them with chrysanthemums, Louise Riotte shows you how to use the natural qualities of common plants to increase your garden's productivity. Roses Love Garlic profiles hundreds of plants, features sample garden designs, and includes recipes for using your harvest to make herbal cosmetics, medicinal mixtures, and plant-based dyes. You'll enjoy learning about the fascinating...

Moss Ball Bonsai provides all the information you need to make these self-contained gardens, using different types of plants--from flowering trees and ferns to grasses and cacti. A sampling of 100 different kokedama shows how even the most common of house plants can shine in this appealing no-pot environment, while a section on mosses acquaints you with the many tones and textures of this versatile plant family.