Held by the Land: A Guide to Indigenous Plants for Wellness - Hardcover

by Leigh Joseph (Author)

Author Leigh Joseph, an ethnobotanist and a member of the Squamish Nation, provides a beautifully illustrated essential introduction to Indigenous plant knowledge.

*Honorable Mention, 2023 Foreword INDIE Book Award*

Plants can be a great source of healing as well as nourishment, and the practice of growing and harvesting from trees, flowering herbs, and other plants is a powerful way to become more connected to the land. The Indigenous Peoples of North America have long traditions of using native plants as medicine and for food. Held by the Land honors and shares some of these traditions, offering a guide to:

• Harvesting herbs and other plants and using them topically
• North American plants that can treat common ailments, add nutrition to your diet, become part of your beauty regime, and more
• Stories and traditions about native plants from the author's Squamish culture
• Using plant knowledge to strengthen your connection to the land you live on

Early chapters introduce you to responsible ways to identify and harvest plants in your area and teach you how to grow a deeper connection with the land you live on through plants. In the plant profiles section, common plants are introduced with:

• Elegant, line-drawn botanical art for each plant
• Information on their characteristics and range
• How to grow and/or harvest them
• How to use them topically and as food
• Special features with recipes for food and beauty products along with stories and traditions around the plants

This beautiful, full-color guide to Indigenous plants will give you new insights into the power of everyday plants.

Author Biography

Dr. Leigh Joseph is an ethnobotanist, author, and member of the Squamish Nation (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh). Her work explores relationships between people, plants, and place through Indigenous knowledge, cultural renewal, and ecological stewardship. Leigh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Simon Fraser University, where her research and teaching focus on Indigenous plant knowledge, ethnobotany, and land-based learning. She is also the founder of Sḵwálwen Botanicals, an Indigenous-owned skincare company rooted in Squamish plant knowledge and relationships to the land. Leigh is the author of Held by the Land, which was a 2023 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Honorable Mention, and 2026 Yellow Cedar Award nominee The Land Knows Me, a children's book that invites young readers to build curiosity, connection, and belonging with the natural world. Across her work, Leigh encourages reciprocal relationships with plants and the places we call home.