It is with heavy but grateful hearts that we commemorate the life of Mary Bove—a scholar, practitioner, and unwavering advocate of botanical healing. Through her passion and wisdom, Mary touched countless lives and helped elevate the art and science of herbal medicine.
Mary’s enthusiasm and joy for plant-based healing were infectious. She had a rare gift for making complex concepts accessible, empowering students and colleagues alike to look beyond anecdote and embrace evidence-based practice. Her teachings continue to inspire a new generation of herbalists.
Beyond her herbal expertise, Mary was known for a gentle, empathetic spirit. She listened deeply—whether to a challenging question or a person’s heartfelt story. Her kindness fostered community and built bridges between scientific rigor and healing compassion, qualities that defined both who she was and what she taught. Mary’s influence will endure through every seed of curiosity she planted in the minds of her colleagues, students and friends.
Tribute from Linnea Wardwell:
When the news arrived of Mary Bove’s untimely passing, we were at a loss for words. She has always been a force of nature in the herbal world, freely sharing her knowledge of healing and her love of plants with patients and students
But as we pictured her wonderful smile and dedication to healing, the words started to flow: Mary Bove, ND: herbalist, midwife, healer, skier, author, pediatrician, storyteller, formulator, gardener, adventurer, lecturer, mother, grandmother and friend.
Throughout her amazing life as an herbal practitioner and teacher, her youthful enthusiasm for the plants and what they have to teach us never seemed to waver. This is evident in the keynote address she presented at Medicines from the Earth in 2024, where her stories illuminated an amazing life dedicated to the plants, and her voice crackled with enthusiasm. We love this quote from that afternoon in North Carolina:
“There are many unspoken lessons from the plants if we open ourselves to them. If we think we will only hear with our ears we will be limited, but if we hear with our hearts, with every cell, with intention, you will be surprised how often they will speak to you.”
In that talk she expressed such gratitude for the fulfilling and rich path she was able to lead because the plants showed her the way. She will be missed, but those teachings live on in her books, articles, recordings and in all of our memories.
In honor of Mary’s legacy, we are offering complimentary access to her keynote address from last year’s conference—a talk that beautifully reflects her passion, wisdom, and the deep reverence she held for the healing power of plants.
