Five Recommended Books for Chinese Medicinal Herb Growing

By Andi Houston

1. THE CHINESE MEDICINAL HERB FARM BY PEG SCHAFER

This is the indispensable guide to Chinese medicinal herbs written for gardener and small farmers, and a wealth of data on yields, processing and polycultures. Peg Schafer is also the founder of Lilium Initiative.

2. CHINESE HERB CULTIVATION: DAODI PRACTICES FOR GROWING AND PROCESSING CHINESE HERBS TRANSLATED BY THOMAS AVERY GARRAN

Thomas Avery Garran lived in China for over a decade, studying the language, TCM and the medicinal herb trade. This book is a translation of part of a national survey of Chinese medicinal materials conducted by the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, and the most inclusive resource for Chinese cultivation research and daodi descriptions. This book is an important resource for attempting to match American farming locations with the ideal growing conditions for each herb.

3. HERBAL EMISSARIES: BRINGING CHINESE HERBS TO THE WEST BY STEVEN FOSTER

This hefty volume, published in 1992, was possibly the first English-language book that tied the medicinal substances learned by TCM practitioners with the plants and their cultivation. Each of the 44 monographs include the taste and character of the herb, along with history, cultivation tips, uses, dosages – a wealth of information on each plant. This book should never be forgotten.

4. THE ORGANIC MEDICINAL HERB FARMER: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PRODUCING HIGH-QUALITY HERBS ON A MARKET SCALE BY JEFF CARPENTER AND MELANIE CARPENTER

Even though this book is not specifically about Chinese medicinal herbs, the general information about large-scale herb farming should not be overlooked. Laying out fields, herb drying techniques, and larger equipment usage is particularly helpful.

5. THE MEDICINAL HERB GROWER: A GUIDE FOR CULTIVATING PLANTS THAT HEAL, VOLUME 1 BY RICHO CECH

This book provides gentle encouragement and many, many ideas to try as a grower. While not all of his suggestions are meant for production growers, this collection of thoughts have a place on any medicinal herb grower’s bookshelf.