- Region
- North America
- Origin
- North America, Europe, Asia (Northern Hemisphere)
North America · Herb · № 189
Pinus spp.
Herb · North America
Pine
Pinus spp.
The scent of needles and resin is experienced as fresh and cleansing. Pine buds and needles contain essential oil and vitamin C; a medicinal effect has hardly been studied.
Safety notes
Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Cautions by tradition (4)
- Chinese food therapy: Not with a nut allergy.
- Chinese materia medica: Not with blood or yin deficiency.
- Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine: Resin can cause allergy.
- Hupa medicine: Only externally as a bath.
Preparation
Construction timber; resin for turpentine, soap and rosin; pine oil in cleaning products; in fragrance oil blends.
Use in traditions
Described in home, kitchen and folk custom. In herbal magic associated with cleansing and purification, healing, clear thinking, prosperity.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Chinese food therapy
Attributed effects
Pine nuts are regarded as nourishing for strength and stamina; with eggs and chicken broth a strengthening soup.
Caution: Not with a nut allergy.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- bitter, warm
- Meridians
- liver
Attributed effects
The knotty branch part (song jie) expels wind and dampness and relieves pain in rheumatism; soaked in rice wine or as tea. Together with peach kernel, safflower, frankincense and myrrh for bruises and pain from injury.
Preparation and amount
Traditional dosage: 9–15 g a day, usually in a decoction.
Caution: Not with blood or yin deficiency.
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine
Attributed effects
For coughs, colds and rheumatism; the salve on wounds, splinters and sores. The smoke cleanses the house and drives away ghosts.
Preparation and amount
White pine needles and bark as a tea; boil the resin with beeswax and tallow into a salve. Burn windfallen branches and let the smoke fill the house.
Caution: Resin can cause allergy.
Hupa medicine
Attributed effects
The medicine of the Brush Dance for a sick or weak child, which in the formula fell from the sky into a basket cup.
Preparation and amount
Pound the bark of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in a basket mortar and boil it in a basket pot; bathe the child with it.
Caution: Only externally as a bath.
Folklore and herbal magic
Symbolic meanings from folk use and modern herbal magic. These are handed-down associations, not effects.
Cleansing and purification, healing, clear thinking, prosperity, protection against evil, fertility.
Home, kitchen and folk use
Attributed effects
The scent is purifying.
Preparation and amount
Construction timber; resin for turpentine, soap and rosin; pine oil in cleaning products; in fragrance oil blends.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Tea (infusion)DecoctionSalve and balmSteam and bath