Mandragora officinarum L., Mandrake. All images © Taschen, shared with permission
Memorialized in his namesake flower the Fuschia, was a German physician and groundbreaking botanical researcher. He published an immense catalog of his studies in 1543 titled , which paired colorful woodcut illustrations of approximately 500 plants with detailed writings about their physical features, medical uses, and origins. Fuch’s own hand-colored copy remains in pristine condition to this day and is the basis for a forthcoming edition published by Taschen. Weighing more than 10 pounds, the nearly 900-page volume is an ode to Fuch’s research and the field of Renaissance botany, detailing plants like the leafy garden balsam and root-covered mandrake. The New Herbal is available for pre-order from and .

Impatiens balsamina L., Garden Balsam, Common Balsam, Jewelweed



Pulsatilla vulgaris MILL., Pasque Flower






