Some examples of other medicinal conifers include hemlock (Tsuga spp. All are considered safe to use and, as with pine, all parts can be used for medicinal purposes, including resin. I love what herbalist Lisa Fazio from The Root Circle has to say about white pine: “I use white pine needles for any upper respiratory tract infection, but I find it particularly useful when there's green phlegm. It is considered a tissue stimulant, since it will stimulate the elimination of mucus by increasing the oxygenation of the membranes that are depressed, bogged down and rooted in mucus.
It also relaxes by soothing, refreshing and soothing irritated and inflamed sinuses and lungs. It's great when the infection seems to be “stuck” with thick, hardened phlegm. White pine is an excellent drawing agent and its resins act to extract stagnant mucus by adhering to it and then stimulating its release. It will be effective when there is viscous, dry phlegm that needs to be extracted or when there is wet, loose phlegm that needs expectoration.
This way, it works in both wet and dry conditions. There are more than 100 species of pine trees worldwide, and most have registered medicinal uses. Cultures around the world have used needles, inner bark and resin to treat various ailments. Internally, pine is a traditional remedy for coughs, colds, allergies and even urinary tract infections.
Topically, pine is used to treat skin infections and to reduce joint inflammation in arthritic conditions. Note that many species of trees with “pine” in their common name are not true pine trees and are not used in the same way. Put a 1-inch layer of sea salt or Epsom salts on the bottom of a jar, then add a (approximately) 1-inch layer of cut white pine needles, a tablespoon of powdered ginger in the jar and cover it with salt, then add another layer of pine needles, then salt and repeat. The husband voluntarily climbed the tree three times to look for the dog before leaving it for him and the squirrel.
And do not use pine resin internally, except in minimal doses under the direction of an expert herbalist. It likes full sun and fast-draining sandy soils, although it may need to modify the soil in some areas of the country for this pine species to truly thrive. Like pine trees, green tips are ideal for harvesting if you can, but you can also use the needles at other times of the year. Pine is commercially essential for its wood and pulp, which is used to make paper and related products.
Do not use pine needles during pregnancy, as one species, Pinus ponderosa, has demonstrated abortive effects on livestock. I use pine pitch, prepared as an ointment, to extract chips, glass and toxins left over from poisonous insect bites. Other coniferous species, including yew, have precautions or may be toxic, so proper pine identification is crucial. Sometimes, you'll read warnings about pine toxicity from authors who erroneously derive safety precautions for humans from documented livestock poisonings in which animals consume pine needles in large quantities.
Along with its myriad medicinal applications, pine is a source of wood, food, essential oil production and incense. In traditional Chinese medicine, the gnarled wood of several pine species is infused in wine and used for joint pain. If you can't find trees with wounds already covered with pitch, an alternative would be to harvest “a branch three to four inches in diameter to pick up the bark”, as suggested in the post, as long as you have chosen an abundant species. .
