I have become increasingly interested in foraging over the last few years. The more time I spend in the woods, the more I wonder how all the plants and animals benefit each other and how human beings have benefited and fit into those ecosystems as time has passed.
My latest discovery is pine needle tea. It’s a clear tea with a mild flavor that tastes refreshing and earthy.
Pine needle tea can be brewed from any pine, spruce or hemlock needles; however, using the needles of a yew or cypress tree can be poisonous. So make sure you can correctly identify the conifer you’re collecting from before ingesting teas made with its needles.
Medicinal uses
Pine needles make an aromatic tea that’s rich in vitamin C and useful in clearing sinus congestion from winter colds. Pine needles, bark and resin can also be used to make tinctures, salves and oils to treat wounds and sores.
Collecting the needles
Pines are one of the easiest conifers to identify as they have soft, long and flexible needles that grow in clusters of two to five, depending on the species.
Pines can grow up to 250 feet tall with branches that spiral around the tree. The bark is grey, thick and scaly in most species of pine trees, but a few have smooth, greenish, greyish bark. They produce pine cones that take two years to mature and then fall to the ground. Seeds within the female cones are eaten and dispersed by animals.
Pines are the most common conifer in the world because they are able to grow in a variety of locations. They’ll grow almost anywhere, including sandy soils along lakes, forested areas, old farmsteads and urban landscapes. Wild pines grow in large stands of many trees.
Pine needles can be collected at any time of the year, however, they are the most tender and aromatic in the spring, which is also the best time to collect bark and resin from pine trees to make tinctures, salves and oils.
Pine needles can be collected by plucking the needles off by hand, cutting them off with scissors or taking small cuttings from the ends of branches. Bark can be trimmed from small twigs and branches to use in your tea or to make a tincture for wound care and sore throats. Resin can be scrapped from the side of the tree and stored in a sealed container to make salves to cover scrapes, cuts and sores or to make a massage oil.
Bark, needles and resin should always be harvested with sustainability in mind. Always gather from fallen branches before harvesting from a living tree. Collect bark from twigs and branches that have been pruned at the ends. Collect needles from those branches and when collecting directly from the tree don’t harvest too heavily from one branch or area. Be careful not to damage bark on the trunk of the tree when you’re collecting resin.
Brewing the pine needle tea
Supplies
- Stove
- Pot
- Strainer
- Glass pitcher or teapot
- 1 part pine needles
- 6 parts water
**If a large teapot holds four cups of water, ⅔ cups of pine needles should be used to make tea. Use ⅓ cup of pine needles for every two cups of water.
Directions
- Clean pine needles with cool water and strain.
- Boil water.
- Add pine needles to boiling water, cover with a lid and turn off the burner.
- Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
- Pour the tea into the pitcher or teapot, using the strainer to capture the pine needles. A pour-over coffee maker or carafe would also work to strain the needles as you’re pouring.
- Add honey and lemon as desired.
- Inhale the fragrance of the pine needle tea as you sip it to help clear sinus congestion. The steeping pot of pine needles can also be used as a steam inhalant to clear sinus congestion.
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FAQs
While pine needle tea is a nutritious beverage, like anything else, it should be consumed in moderation. Drinking it every day in large quantities may cause certain side effects due to its high vitamin C content. Always consult with a healthcare provider to determine what's best for your health needs.
How to brew pine needle tea? ›
- Wash the white pine needles in cold water. ...
- Cut the woody end off where the needles come together, and then cut the needles into 1-inch lengths. ...
- Steep 2 tablespoons of pine needles in the water for 10-15 minutes. ...
- The tea will become a pale-yellow color after steeping. ...
- If desired, strain the pine needles out of the tea.
While pine needle tea is a nutritious beverage, like anything else, it should be consumed in moderation. Drinking it every day in large quantities may cause certain side effects due to its high vitamin C content. Always consult with a healthcare provider to determine what's best for your health needs.
Do boiling pine needles destroy vitamin C? ›
Therefore the boiling of water would never reach a temperature that would cause the vitamin C to be boiled off. Instead, the vitamin C would be dissolved (vitamin C is water soluble) in the water, which with a tea is what we are going to drink.
What pine trees are good for pine needle tea? ›
Eastern White Pine is our favorite and makes a fragrant, woodsy tea that is full of vitamin C, so it's wonderful to have during illness or to support overall health anytime. The white pine (pinus strobus) is easy to recognize with it's long (approximately 3 to 5 inch) needles in clusters, or fascicles, of five.
How do you know if pine needles are safe for tea? ›
All you need to make pine needle tea is a source of edible pine needles. A lot of pine varieties are safe to consume, including: Eastern white pine — Pinus strobus. Japanese red pine — Pinus densiflora.
How to store pine needles for tea? ›
It's best to store an abundance of fresh pine needles in the freezer, in an airtight freezer-safe bag. When ready to use, take out the amount desired, rinse well under fresh water and the needles will immediately thaw. Snip to desired size and steep. Keep in the freezer for up to one year!
Is pine needle tea good for kidneys? ›
The pine needle tea has effects of benefiting liver and nourishing kidney, and improving eyesight and relaxing bowel and is suitable for hypertension patients.
Does pine needle tea raise blood pressure? ›
The product can effectively reduce blood pressure and blood lipid, also can treat some complications, and has good effect for prevention and treatment of high blood pressure.
Is pine needle tea good for the liver? ›
Anti-oxidative activities are a well known feature of phenolic compounds. The pine needle has many phenolic compounds such as pinene 28 . Thus, PNE can affect liver regeneration through reducing the oxidative stress created by the liver regeneration process.
Cultures around the globe have used the needles, inner bark, and resin for similar ailments. Internally, pine is a traditional remedy for coughs, colds, allergies, and urinary tract and sinus infections. Topically, pine is used to address skin infections and to lessen joint inflammation in arthritic conditions.
What pine needles are toxic? ›
Ponderosa pine needles cause abortion and a poorly described toxicosis when eaten by cattle.
What did Native Americans use pine needles for? ›
For several millennia, the Native Americans living in the region that became North Carolina fashioned utilitarian and decorative objects from the trees and plants surrounding them. The abundance of pine trees in the region led to the use of pine needles to make baskets and other objects.
Who should not drink pine needle tea? ›
A word or two of caution: firstly, don't try pine needle tea if you are pregnant. Secondly, most pine varieties can be used, but steer clear of Yew and Cypress which can sometimes be mistaken for pine. A good rule of thumb is to avoid flat needles. If in doubt, ask a Forest Ranger.
How long to boil pine needle tea? ›
Some pines, like lodgepole, ponderosa, and common yew, are toxic.
- Step 1: Identify your pine! ...
- Step 2: Collect a handful of needles.
- Step 3: Cut needles to a smaller size. ...
- Step 4: Add to water and bring to a boil.
- Step 5: Remove from heat and steep for 10-20 minutes.
- Step 6: Strain.
- Step 7: Enjoy!
Yes, you could drink pine needle tea if you fancied. I wouldn't recommend using pine needles from commercially produced Christmas trees though. You could end up infusing yourself a brew of fire retardants or some other toxic chemicals.
Is it safe to make tea from white pine needles? ›
White pine is usually what I use for tea. *Always verify and positively identify any wild edible prior to consumption. Many wild plants pose danger if ingested. Some pines, like lodgepole, ponderosa, and common yew, are toxic.
What does pine needle tea taste like? ›
Pine needle tea is made by brewing the needles of pine trees to make a flavorful hot beverage. Its flavor is described variously as piney, resinous, astringent, and citrusy, with undertones of mint. Older pine needles tend to taste more bitter and tannic than young ones.
What is the difference between pine needle tea and white pine needle tea? ›
There are two main types of pine needle tea sold commercially, white and red pine needle. White pine needle tea originates from America and is made from the Eastern white pine tree, whereas red pine needle tea originates from Korea and is sourced from the Manchurian red pine tree.
How long can you boil pine needles for smell? ›
Keep the water simmering above the pine needles at all times. Simmer the pine needles for several hours to fill your home with pine scent.
