How to Make Pine Needle Tea: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

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Last Updated: December 9, 2022Approved

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Pine needle tea is made from (surprise!) pine trees. It contains significant amounts of vitamin C (up to five times as much as a lemon).[1] Moreover, it is refreshing and can serve as a decongestant.[2] Here is how to do it.

Ingredients

  • Approximately 1 cup of water
  • A bunch of fresh pine needles from a green white pine (Pinus strobus) (see "Tips" and "Warnings" below for collection advice)

Steps

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  1. 1

    Put the water into a pot and bring it to a boil.[3] Or, boil the water in a kettle. Use whichever method you're used to.

  2. 2

    Gather the pine needles, clean them, and then put them in the cup or mug.

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  3. 3

    Pour the boiling water into the cup while the pine needles are in it and stir until the color of the pine needles starts to pale.

  4. 4

    For more flavor, add the juice of 1 lemon or a squirt of lemon juice. Also try a squirt of honey or stir in a sugar cube.[4]

  5. 5

    Filter the pine needles out with a fork and drink up!

  6. 6

    If you have more time, try this method.

  7. 7

    Finished.

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  • Question

    Can I use dry pine needles to make tea? If so, do I use more or less needles?

    How to Make Pine Needle Tea: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (13)

    Community Answer

    Yes, you can use dry pine needles. You will need more because the natural juices are sucked out when dried, so to get more flavor you will need to add more needles.

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    Not Helpful 12Helpful 51

  • Question

    What can I use to clean pine needles properly?

    How to Make Pine Needle Tea: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (14)

    Community Answer

    Just wash them with water and rub them with a cloth to get dirt off.

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    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question

    What kind of pine tree is used for pine tree tea ?

    How to Make Pine Needle Tea: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (15)

    Community Answer

    Most pine trees are safe to make pine needle tea. Some varieties of them are poisonous though, like Yew (Taxus), Norfolk Island Pine (Araucana heterophylla) and Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa). So check the variety carefully before picking up any needles.

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      Tips

      • The pine needle tea can be sweetened using any sweetener of choice. However, it is recommended that you try the tea first, for provided you've used fresh, young pine needles, it will have its own sweetness.

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      • Select the pine needles that are youngest as these will be the freshest and have the most flavor and nutrients. They are the ones that look slightly greener than the remaining pine needles, found at the end of each tree branch.

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      • Suggested steeping times vary anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour according to whose recipe you read. You might like to try different steeping times to find the amount of time that creates a pine needle tea that you like.

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      Warnings

      • Make sure to clean the needles. Who knows what could be on them. There could be bug eggs, dirty water, etc.

        Thanks

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      • As with any wild food, be sure to collect from an area free from pollution and avoid any trees with disease.

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      • Do not consume this tea if pregnant or breastfeeding.[7]

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      • Hemlock trees are not poisonous. The hemlock tree is coniferous tree and a member of the Tsuga genus (family Pinaceae). The poisonous perennial, herbaceous hemlock plants that grow near streams and in fields (e.g. water hemlock, poison hemlock and hemlock water drop-wort) are members of the family Apiaceae. Therefore the two are totally unrelated and bear no physical resemblance to each other either. The reason why hemlock tree came to be named thus is because someone thought that when you crush the needles (it's a pine tree) the smell is similar to that obtained when you crush poisonous hemlock leaves, but that's the only connection.

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      Things You'll Need

      • Cup or mug
      • Fork

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      About This Article

      wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 23 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 377,408 times.

      140 votes - 93%

      Co-authors: 23

      Updated: December 9, 2022

      Views:377,408

      Categories: Featured Articles | Herbal Tea

      Article SummaryX

      To make pine needle tea, boil 1 cup of water in a pot or kettle, and clean fresh pine needles from a green white pine. Place the cleaned needles in a cup or mug, and pour the boiling water over the needles. Then, stir the water until the needles begin to lose their color. You can add a squirt of lemon juice or some honey to the tea for extra flavor. Finally, use a fork or spoon to scoop out all of the pine needles and enjoy your drink! For tips on making a stronger tea, read on!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • How to Make Pine Needle Tea: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (28)

        Regan Ziegler

        Sep 25, 2016

        "I live in the mountains with tons of pine trees. My husband wants to make pine tea and this article makes me want..." more

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      How to Make Pine Needle Tea: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

      FAQs

      How to Make Pine Needle Tea: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow? ›

      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 make tea from pine needles? ›

      1. Wash the white pine needles in cold water. ...
      2. Cut the woody end off where the needles come together, and then cut the needles into 1-inch lengths. ...
      3. Steep 2 tablespoons of pine needles in the water for 10-15 minutes. ...
      4. The tea will become a pale-yellow color after steeping. ...
      5. If desired, strain the pine needles out of the tea.

      Can you drink pine needle tea every day? ›

      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 long to boil pine needles? ›

      In a pot, heat the amount of water that you need until it approaches boiling but does not fully boil. Technically you can let the water boil, but this could destroy some of the nutrients you're extracting from the needles. Add the needles and let them simmer for about ten minutes.

      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 do you preserve pine needles for pine needle 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!

      How to make pine needle tincture? ›

      Cover the pine sprigs with grain alcohol or 100 proof vodka (the vodka will take longer, however). Shake it up and place it in a cool, dark cupboard. Shake it at least once a day and start checking it after a couple of weeks. You'll know it's ready when the smell of pine replaces the smell of alcohol.

      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.

      What happens when you put pine needles in vinegar? ›

      Studies have shown that pine needles have some antimicrobial properties, making a pine-scented vinegar cleaner a good anti-bacterial spray for general use around your home. Here is how to make it in only three steps.

      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.

      Why do people boil pine needles? ›

      Pine needles contain antioxidants.

      These reduce free radicals, which are harmful to humans and can cause disease. Taoist priests drank pine needle tea as they believed it made them live longer. There is researched evidence that pine needle tea can help to slow the ageing process.

      Which pine needle tea is best? ›

      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.

      Who should not drink pine needle tea? ›

      Several trees are toxic – including ponderosa pine (such a shame considering its local abundance), common yew, and Norfolk Island pine. These plants contain toxins that can cause anything from cramps to liver damage. Additionally, women who are pregnant should NOT drink pine needle tea.

      What is pine needle tea called? ›

      Pine needle tea
      TypeHerbal tea
      Other namesPine leaf tea sollip-cha jannip-cha baegyeop-da
      OriginEast Asia
      Quick descriptionTea made from pine needles
      6 more rows

      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.

      Can you make pine needle tea from a Christmas tree? ›

      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.

      How do you prepare pine needles to eat? ›

      Pour in a cup of boiling water and steep for five minutes. Or bring water and pine needles to a rolling boil in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat, cover, and steep for five minutes. Strain and enjoy.

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