The fascinating stories of the plants that changed civilizations. Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History is a beautifully presented guide to the plants that have had the greatest impact on human civilization. Entries feature a description of the plant, its botanical name, its native range and its primary functions -- edible, medicinal, commercial or practical. Concise text is highlighted by elegant botanical drawings, paintings and photographs as well as insightful quotes. Many of the plants are well known, such as rice, tea, cotton, rubber, wheat, sugarcane, tobacco, wine grapes and corn. However, there are also many whose stories are less known. These history-changing plants include: Agave, used to make sisal, poison arrows, bullets, tequila and surgical thread Pineapple, which influenced the construction of greenhouses and conservatories Hemp, used for hangman's rope, sustainable plastics, the Declaration of Independence and Levi's jeans Coconut, used for coir fiber, soap, margarine, cream, sterile IV drips and coagulants Eucalyptus, used in mouthwash, diuretics, vitamins, honey, underwear and fire-resistant uniforms Sweet pea, which Gregor Mendel used in his research on genetic heredity White mulberry, used to make silk English oak, used for fire-resistant structures, dyes, leather tanning, charcoal, casks and ships White willow, used in the manufacture of aspirin, cricket bats, hot-air balloon baskets and coffins This attractive reference provides an innovative perspective on both botanical and human history.

Product Description: Plants are not just a pretty part of the landscape; they keep the entire planet, with all of its human and nonhuman inhabitants, alive. Stanley Rice documents the many ways in which plants do this by making oxygen, regulating the greenhouse effect, controlling floods, and producing all the food in the world...read more

Product Description: Do you wear jeans? Did you ever look at the label inside your favorite jeans? It probably said that they are made of cotton. People have been using parts of plants to make cloth for thousands of years. Young readers will develop critical thinking skills as they explore the many plants that we wear...read more

Product Description: Plants for People gives us an insight into the countless, often surprising ways in which we use plants—from the woodpulp in our clothing and the soya in fast food, to new medicines from daffodil bulbs for Alzheimer's, yew leaves and hazelnuts for cancers, and sunflower seeds providing cleaner fuel for our cars...read more

Product Description: Dietary supplements are estimated to be used regularly by almost 60% of the American population, and over 300 million people worldwide. An important and ever-growing portion of this market is in botanical supplements that are derived from natural plants...read more (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)

Surveys the many uses of plants, including food, drink, spices and herbs, creams and perfumes, medicine, wood and paper, clothes, and decoration for gardens and parks.

Product Description: An array of abundant wild foods is available to hikers, campers, botanists 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...read more

In the third volume of the Country series, an author journeys beyond the yard--into the forest and uncultivated open spaces--to explore the beauty of the wild, offering inspiring words and practical advice for country living. Tour.

Combines a field guide to finding and preserving medicinal plants with a detailed home advisor to their uses in cooking, cosmetics and health

Product Description: Book by Krause, Steven A.

Examines the medicinal, culinary, and household uses of fifty species of trees, offering a selection of all-natural recipes, herbal remedies, tree cultivation and care tips, mail-order sources, and national arboretums. 20,000 first printing.

Introduces the concept of companion planting, discusses the advantages, and gives advice on selecting and caring for companion plants

Product Description: In just an afternoon or evening, you can fashion beautiful and useful containers from weeds growing by the roadside or the vines and bushes in your own backyard. This handy guide includes thorough information on collecting and preparing common plants for use, plus clear instructions for transforming them into woven, plaited, twined, and coiled baskets...read more

Explains how to grow, harvest, use, and store culinary herbs, salad herbs, vegetables, berries, scented herbs, strewing herbs, dye plants, and medicinal herbs, and includes tips on herb teas

Product Description: Book by

The rugged and tranquil natural beauty of the American landscape is revealed in photographs of natural parks from Acadia in Maine to Zion in Utah