Pine Needle Tea

[Andy Hamilton]

In another post pine needle tea was mentioned. I have tried and I drink it fairly regually. It not altogether a strong taste ever so slightly sweet I think. It is one of the drinks we give out on our foraging walks.

The tea is pretty good for you full of Vitamin A and C. Some of the tribes of North America would drink it during the winter months when other sources of Vitamin C were scarce.

The way I make it is to cut up the pine needles in half. It's the green newest needles you are looking for not the brown ones. I then put them straght into a thermos flask and leave them for a few hours. You can also boil them for about 20 mins, similarly as you would make a decoction.

[Hedgehogpie]

Try adding a few Eucalyptus leaves if you come across them, the resulting brew is aromatic and faintly lemony and makes a refreshing combination.

[Andy Hamilton]

Try adding a few Eucalyptus leaves if you come across them, the resulting brew is aromatic and faintly lemony and makes a refreshing combination.

Interesting idea will have to try it out. I tend to mix rosemary with mine and find it a great all round winter tonic.

[Green Aura]

Thanks for that, I've got a couple of pine trees in the garden which will be putting on new leaf soon. Sounds good - which is what I thought. I just didn't want to go ripping my trees to shreds if it was horrible!

[Kev]

On a survival course I took part in, They made a tea from Rose hips and pine needles combined togeather for a drink packed with vitamin c. Dont think its a combination i would try again anytime soon. The rose hips did taste really good though after they had been infused.

[Ellendra]

A word of caution to anyone who might be reading this: Make sure your "pine tree" is really a pine before you go making tea from it! There's a tendency to lump all needled conifers together under the name of "pine", when it might be a spruce, a fir, a cedar, etc.

There are some, such as yew, that are quite toxic, but because they have needles they're often called pines.

[Millymollymandy]

Good warning Ellendra, my husband is one of them. I keep telling him to call them 'conifers' if he can't remember whether he's talking about one of our spruces, pines, cedars or yews....

[Kev]

A word of caution to anyone who might be reading this: Make sure your "pine tree" is really a pine before you go making tea from it! There's a tendency to lump all needled conifers together under the name of "pine", when it might be a spruce, a fir, a cedar, etc.

There are some, such as yew, that are quite toxic, but because they have needles they're often called pines.

Very good advice. I always tell people that if your not 100% sure that what you have picked from the wild is safe to eat then leave it well alone.

[fungi2bwith]

A word of caution to anyone who might be reading this: Make sure your "pine tree" is really a pine before you go making tea from it! There's a tendency to lump all needled conifers together under the name of "pine", when it might be a spruce, a fir, a cedar, etc.

There are some, such as yew, that are quite toxic, but because they have needles they're often called pines.

Have you any tips on ensuring an ID for pine?

[Millymollymandy]

I'm in France and I've no idea what are 'native' species here, I only have experience of several different pines that have been planted in the gardens I've lived in. The difference I've found is that the pines drop needles which are much longer than say spruce, plus the needles (about 3-4" long) are always two fixed together, bit like a chicken wishbone. They are an absolute pain to try to rake up off the grass!

[Ellendra]

A word of caution to anyone who might be reading this: Make sure your "pine tree" is really a pine before you go making tea from it! There's a tendency to lump all needled conifers together under the name of "pine", when it might be a spruce, a fir, a cedar, etc.

There are some, such as yew, that are quite toxic, but because they have needles they're often called pines.

Have you any tips on ensuring an ID for pine?

They should have long, roundish needles, which are attached together in bundles of 2-5 (depending on the variety) with a brown papery sheath at the base of each bundle (this sheath may be small enough that some of us will need reading glasses to see it, but its definately there). The sheath is the attached to the rest of the tree, the needles are not directly attached. The cones are also a good marker, although they may not always be present. Pines always have cones, as do some other conifers, but if it has something other than cones it is definately NOT a pine.