All That the Rain Promises and More
David Arora
Arora's pocket-sized, funny guide to western mushrooms. A lighter companion to Mushrooms Demystified.
beginnerWestern North AmericaPocket-size
Foraging books by region
Wild plants and mushrooms vary a lot from place to place. Pick the guide written for where you live, then add a continent-wide book for backup.
- Best foraging books for California (3 regional, 3 broader)
- Best foraging books for Canada (1 regional)
- Best foraging books for Florida (1 regional, 3 broader)
- Best foraging books for the Gulf Coast (1 regional, 2 broader)
- Best foraging books for the Midwest (2 regional, 6 broader)
- Best foraging books for the Rocky Mountains (3 regional, 3 broader)
- Best foraging books for New England (1 regional, 8 broader)
- Best foraging books for the Northeast (2 regional, 6 broader)
- Best foraging books for Oregon (1 regional, 6 broader)
- Best foraging books for the Ozarks (1 regional, 10 broader)
- Best foraging books for the Pacific Northwest (3 regional, 3 broader)
- Best foraging books for Pennsylvania (1 regional, 8 broader)
- Best foraging books for the Southeast (2 regional, 6 broader)
- Best foraging books for the Southwest (1 regional, 3 broader)
- Best foraging books for Texas (1 regional)
- Best foraging books for the Upper Midwest (1 regional, 8 broader)
- Best foraging books for Washington State (1 regional, 6 broader)
Continent-wide guides
Backyard Foraging
Ellen Zachos
65 familiar plants from yards and parks that you can eat. A low-risk way to start foraging.
beginnerNorth America
The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants
U.S. Department of the Army
A reprint of the U.S. Army's guide to edible and poisonous wild plants. Simple drawings and descriptions.
beginnerNorth America
Edible Wild Plants
James Kavanagh
A laminated fold-out ID sheet you can carry in a pocket and get wet. A supplement to a full field guide.
beginnerNorth AmericaPocket-sizeWaterproof
Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide
Thomas S. Elias
A photo field guide to over 200 wild foods across the continent, organized by season. A good first foraging book.
beginnerNorth AmericaField guide
Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants
Bradford Angier
Bradford Angier's illustrated field guide to wild foods. An older classic that still turns up in survival libraries.
beginnerNorth AmericaField guide
A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and Central North America
Lee Peterson
The Peterson guide to wild foods, keyed by flower color and plant type. Compact and long trusted.
beginnerEastern & Central North AmericaField guide
Sam Thayer's Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America
Samuel Thayer
Thayer's compact field guide covering a large number of species, designed for use outdoors.
beginnerEastern & Central North AmericaField guide
Stalking the Wild Asparagus
Euell Gibbons
Euell Gibbons's 1960s classic that started the modern foraging movement. Charming and still useful.
beginnerNorth America
The Wild Wisdom of Weeds
Katrina Blair
Thirteen common weeds you can eat or use as medicine. Weeds grow everywhere, so the skills travel.
beginnerNorth America
Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West
Gregory L. Tilford
Covers edible and medicinal plants from the Rockies to the Pacific with color photos.
intermediateWestern North America
The Forager's Harvest
Samuel Thayer
Samuel Thayer's in-depth guide to identifying, harvesting, and preparing wild plants. Known for careful, first-hand accounts.
intermediateEastern & Central North America
Incredible Wild Edibles
Samuel Thayer
The third of Thayer's foraging books, with 36 more plants covered in depth.
intermediateEastern & Central North America
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms
Gary Lincoff
A classic vinyl-bound pocket field guide to mushrooms across the continent. Durable enough for field use.
intermediateNorth AmericaPocket-sizeLarge reference
Nature's Garden
Samuel Thayer
Thayer's second book, covering more wild edibles in the same detailed, honest style.
intermediateEastern & Central North America
Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America
Steven Foster, James A. Duke
Identifies medicinal plants of the East and Midwest with photos and cautions about toxic look-alikes. Pairs ID with traditional uses.
intermediateEastern & Central North AmericaField guide
Peterson Field Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs
Steven Foster, Christopher Hobbs
The western counterpart to the Peterson medicinal guide, covering plants from the Rockies to the Pacific. Includes safety notes on toxic species.
intermediateWestern North AmericaField guide