Pine: edible shoots, pine baths and traditional uses

Share

FacebookWhatsAppEmail

1

Pine is one of the few big trees you can genuinely bring into the kitchen and the bathroom. The soft new shoots at the tip of the branches are edible, the needles make a resinous infusion, and a pouch of shoots dropped into hot bathwater is a long-standing European home ritual. Here is which part to pick, when, and what to do with it.

What it is credited with

• Winter colds and stuffy breathing — in European folk herbalism, steam from pine shoots or needles was inhaled to ease a blocked nose and a heavy chest.
• Aching joints and stiff muscles — traditional herbalism used pine lotions and pine baths to soothe rheumatic aches and tired limbs after cold weather.
• Nervous tension — the German bath tradition popularised by the hygienist Kneipp credits warm pine baths with a calming, restorative effect on frayed nerves.
• Tired skin and feet — naturopathy has long recommended a pine footbath at the end of a long day on your feet.
• A general tonic — Taoist practitioners prized pine seeds, needles and sap as a favoured diet, saying it made the body light.
• Forest air — the practice of walking slowly through a pine wood and breathing deeply is credited by naturopaths with a settling, clearing effect; the air carries that lemony, camphor-like resin scent.

How to use it

Picking the shoots

• Pick from mid-spring to early summer, while the candles are pale, soft and squeak slightly between your fingers.
• Take them right at the branch tip, at the point where the needles have not yet opened out.
• Take a few from each tree, never all the leaders from one tree — they are next year’s growth.
• Choose trees well away from roadsides and sprayed ground.

Infusion of needles or shoots

• Chop a small handful of fresh needles or two or three young shoots.
• Pour freshly boiled water over them, cover, and leave 10 minutes.
• Strain. Expect a resinous, lemony brew; honey and a slice of lemon round it off.
• Traditionally taken hot, a cup at a time, during cold spells — not as an all-day drink.

The pine bath

• Fill a cloth pouch with two generous double handfuls of young shoots — the tougher ones from your harvest are fine here.
• Drop the pouch into the hot bathwater and let it steep while the bath fills.
• Alternatively, make a strong infusion in a couple of litres of water, strain, and tip that into the tub.
• Afterwards, lie down and rest for half an hour to an hour before going back to your day.
• Empty the spent shoots onto the compost.

Steam inhalation

• Put a handful of chopped needles or shoots in a bowl, cover with just-boiled water.
• Lean over, a towel over your head, and breathe the steam gently for a few minutes.
• Keep your face well clear of the water and stop if the steam feels harsh.

In the kitchen

• The tenderest new shoots go raw into mixed salads, finely sliced — the Iroquois and peoples of British Columbia ate white pine shoots raw as a snack.
• Steam them a few minutes and serve with mustard or a sharp dressing.
• Toss chopped shoots into vegetables at the very end of cooking, so the aroma survives.
• Pine nuts, toasted dry in a pan, with basil and parmesan make pesto.
• Young male flowers and the inner bark are also eaten, the bark scraped into strips and dried.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: pick only the pale, soft new candles in mid-spring to early summer, from a tree you can name with certainty.

What is pine traditionally used for?

European folk herbalism used pine shoots and needles as an infusion or a steam inhalation during colds, and as lotions and baths for stiff, aching limbs. The German bath tradition popularised by Kneipp credits warm pine baths with calming nervous tension. These are traditional uses, not treatments.

When do I pick pine shoots, and which ones?

Pick from mid-spring to early summer, while the candles at the branch tips are pale, soft and have not yet opened their needles. Take only a few per tree and keep well away from roadsides. Dry them on a cloth in an airy, dark place, then store them in a jar, tin or paper bag.

How do I run a pine bath?

Fill a cloth pouch with two generous double handfuls of young shoots and let it steep in the hot bathwater as the tub fills. You can instead make a strong infusion in a couple of litres of water, strain it, and pour that in. Afterwards, lie down and rest for half an hour to an hour before resuming your day.

Can you eat pine raw?

Yes — the tenderest young shoots can be sliced raw into mixed salads, as the Iroquois and peoples of British Columbia traditionally did. They can also be steamed for a few minutes and served with mustard or dressing, or stirred into vegetables at the end of cooking. Pine nuts, needles, inner bark and young male flowers are all edible too.

Is any conifer unsafe to pick?

Yew is toxic, so make sure you know your trees first. Some ornamental conifers are also not edible, so never harvest from a tree you cannot identify with confidence. In case of doubt, it is always useful to check with a specialist or ask your consulting physician before opting for a plant-based treatment.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.