Pine Trees have been known for their uses for lumber and their medicinal benefits. With 36 pine species in the United States the oldest being a Bristlecone pine 4,600 years. Not all pine needles are edible ALWAYS CHECK TO SEE IF THE PINE YOU PICK IS SAFE; Time and practice will make identifying easier. I use White Pine (Pinus strobus) as it’s abundant from where I am from.
Pine needles are used after seeping in boiling water to release the benefits in the needles. Sap or pitch which occurs when the tree has a wound and uses the pitch to cover and protect it from outside elements. And the extract from the bark. Usages are diverse from being high in vitamin C to being used as salve pine trees are a year-round doctor (if you are seriously injured or sick please go to your doctor first).
And as always when you go foraging do so consciously, pick from bigger plants first, only take what you need; never take bark from the whole circumference take it in patches in order to allow nutrients to continue to flow, and be nice to the earth.
Pine Needle Health Benefits
- High in vitamin C/ vitamin A/ Antioxidants
- reduce fevers/ antiinflammatory
- relieve aches and pains
- respiratory health
- acne/ eczema
- depression
- eye diseases
- and much more
Pine Sap Health Benefits
- alleviates pain in joints
- laxative
- treatment for burns and sores
- salve
Pine Bark Extract Health Benefits
(do not use if you are taking anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet drugs as this can increase the risk of bleeding)
- chelating agent
- improve blood flow
- anti aging
- help with mental health (ADHD)
- Antiinflammatory
check in recipes for the ways to create and make the different usages from Doctor Pinus strobus
https://www.almanac.com/news/natural-health-home-tips/pine-needle-tea -Has a list of poisonous trees in the comment section
http://www.oldest.org/nature/trees/ – website of the 10 oldest trees in the world (where i got the bristlepine photo)
