Steven Foster Group, Inc.

Imagery and Information on Medicinal Plants and Herbs Since 1974

A Quote from the late
Dr. Shiu Ying Hu (1908-2012)

"The author reminds me of two eminent American botanists who enticed me to Harvard: They were Merritt L. Fernald, author of the eighth edition of Gray’s Manual of Botany, and Elmer D. Merrill, who was honored as the American Linnaeus during his lifetime. I used to think it remarkable that these two professors (both from the state of Maine) could be self-taught botanists yet outstanding in their field because, at the beginning of the twentieth century, botany was relatively young in America. I was surprised indeed to meet a third person from Maine, Steven Foster, who achieved the same distinction near the close of the [20th] century . . . Our conversation reminded me of something that Confucius said two thousand years ago. ‘In any company of three persons, there must be one who can be my teacher.’ In the company of a half dozen persons who chose a life-style of simple living and honest dealing, I found in Steven Foster a teacher who could share a profound knowledge of economic botany, particularly in the cultivation and uses of herbs."

Dr. Shiu Ying Hu (Harvard University botanist, emerita) — From the Preface in Herbal Bounty - The Gentle Art of Herb Culture, by Steven Foster, Gibbs M. Smith, Inc., Peregrine Smith Books, Layton, Utah, 1984.

Remembering the remarkable inspirational life of the late Dr. Shiu Ying Hu (1908-2012).

 

 

About Steven Foster

Best-selling author, photographer, consultant, and herbalist, Steven Foster, has 40 years of comprehensive experience in the herbal field. He started his career at the Sabbathday Lake, Maine, Shaker’s Herb Department—America’s oldest herb business dating to 1799.

As an international consultant in medicinal and aromatic plant technical and marketing issues, Foster has served on projects in Argentina, Armenia, Belize, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, England, Germany, Guatemala, Japan, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Peru, the Republic of Georgia, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam and elsewhere.

Steven has 18 books published. He is senior author of three Peterson Field Guides, including the all new THIRD EDITION of the new Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs: Eastern and Central North America, (with James A. Duke, released by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in April 2014), A Field Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs with Christopher Hobbs, (2002), and A Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants of North America (with Roger Caras, 1995 and many other books. Other titles include Tyler’s Honest Herbal 4th edtion (with Varro Tyler) and the 1999 Independent Publisher's Association's Best Title in Health and Medicine—101 Medicinal Herbs. Foster is senior author of National Geographic’s A Desk Reference to Nature’s Medicine (with Rebecca Johnson), a 2007 New York Public Library “Best of Reference.” He has also authored over 800 articles for numerous trade, popular and scientific periodicals. An acclaimed photographer with thousands ofimages in his stock photos files, Foster’s photographs appear in hundreds of publications. He is Associate Editor of HerbalGram, and Chairman of the Board Trustees of the American Botanical Council in Austin, Texas. Steven makes his home in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Lectures & Awards

Steven Foster has given hundreds of lectures and workshops on a wide-range of herb-related subjects and photographery for professional organizations, civic groups, university programs, conferences, symposia, conventions, and other venues, often with concurrent radio or television appearances. To book Steven for your next event, send him an email or call 479-253-2629.

• 1998 Industry Achievement Award. Texas Herb Growers and Marketers Association.
• 1999 Best Title in Health/Medicine.-Independent Book Awards (IPPY) 101 Medicinal Herbs Interweave Press, Loveland, Colorado, 1998
• 1999 Benjamin Franklin Awards Silver Medal-Health. 101 Medicinal Herbs Interweave Press, Loveland, Colorado.
• 2002. Otto Richter Memorial Award. International Herb Association, Richmond, Virginia
• 2007, April 27. “A Best of Reference”, New York Public Library. A Desk Reference to Nature’s Medicine by Steven Foster and Rebecca Johnson, National Geographic Books, 2006.
• 2008. American Herbal Products Association. Herbal Insight Award. “Acclaimed photographer Steven Foster was presented with the Herbal Insight award for furthering the knowledge and understanding of medicinal and aromatic plants through his excellent work as a photographer, author and consultant. Mr. Foster’s ability to capture the elegance and intimacy of the 'human-plant relationship' continues to astound.”
• 2010. Alan Lesniewicz Memorial Lecturer, Dorothy Bradley Atkins Medicinal Plant Garden, The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy and the UIC/NIC Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research.

Selection of Photo Credits

Steven Foster's Photography has appeared in the following periodicals:

AHPA Report • Alternative Medicine • Ambassador • Arab Banker Magazine • Archeology • Australian Wild Herb Bulletin • BabyTalk • Better Nutrition • Body & Soul • Canadian Living • Canadian Pharmacist Journal • Chemical & Engineering News • Consumer Reports • Country Life • Country Living’s Healthy Living • Cuerpomente • Dallas Medical Journal • Delicious • Environmental Health Perspectives • E—The Environmental Magazine • Family Fun • First for Women • Fitness • Fitness • Food Distribution Magazine • Forest & Conservation History • Forest Landowner • Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals • Glamour • Great Life • Harrowsmith • Health Foods Business • Health Products Business • Health State • Healthy Remedies • HerbalGram • Herbs at Home • Herbs for Health • High Times • Holistic Primary Care • In Essence • Integral • JAAPA • Journal of General Viology • Joy of Herbs • Let’s Live • Longevity • Martha Stewart Living • McCall’s • Men’s Health • Modern Medicine • Mother Earth News • Mother Jones • Native Peoples • Native Plants • Natural Food Merchandiser • Natural Health • Natural Home • Natural Pharmacy • Natural Products Industry Insider • Natural Remedies • Nature’s Regimen • Nursery Manager • Nutraceuticals World • Nutrition Science News • Organic Gardening • Parade • Parenting • Pharmaceutical Biolog • Pharmacy Times • Physical Magazine • PieceWork • Popular Science • Prevention • Protegez-Vous • Remedies • Research & Development • Retail Pharmacy News • Science News • Seed World • Self • Taste for Life • The American Gardener • The Costco Connection • The Herb Companion • The Herb Magazine • The Journal of Health & Healing • The Medical Post • The Mother Earth News Guide to Real Health • The New York Times • The New York Times Magazine • The Protocol Journal of Botanical Medicine • The Washington Post (Cover, Health Section) • The Wilson Quarterly • Traverse • Urology • US Pharmacist • USA Weekend • Utne Reader • Vegetarian Times • Veggie Life • Vibrant Life • Vivir Feliz • Vogue • Well-Being • Whole Foods • Whole Life Times • World – The Magazine of the World Health Organization • Your Health.

Coroporate Photo Projects include:

Corporate catalogs, brochures, trade show displays, product information sheet photos, or label photos for • Aveda Corporation • Anabolic • Frontier Cooperative Herbs • Gaia Herbs• Shaperite Concepts, Inc. • Indena • Murdock Madaus, Schwabe Group • R. P. Scherer, North America • Star West Botanicals• Nature’s Best, Ltd. (UK) • Quantum, Inc.; • McZand • Panacorp • Enzymatic Therapy• Solaray • Stryka Botanicals• Triarco • Traditional Medicinal• ; Biobotanica of America, Ltd. • University of Natural Healing • Pharmaprint • Tom’s of Maine • Warner Lambert, and many others.• From 1999 to 2010, The entire Tom’s of Maine product line featured Steven Foster photography.