Pinus balsamea / Balsam Fir / Pinaceae (Pine family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Pinus sylvestris / Pine / Pinaceae (Pine family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Dwarf Scots Pine, Forest Pine, Gemeine kiefer, Norway Pine, Pin sauvage, Pine, Pine Needle, Scotch Fir, Scotch Pine, Scots Pine, Skovfyr, and Tall.

Scent

Pine has a fresh, forest-like, woody aroma.

Aromatic Properties

Pine can be burnt to purify ones home and used to decorate it with its branches to bring healing and joy. The cones and nuts can be carried as a fertility charm. To purify and sanctify an outdoor ritual area, brush the ground with a Pine branch. In aromatherapy, Pine is used in saunas, steam baths and massage blends. It shares many of the same properties as Eucalypt, and the action of both oils is enhanced when blended.

Contents

This herb contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, tannins, triterpenes, lignan and resins. There is a high concentration of monoterpenes (anywhere between 50-90%) such as pinenes (consisting mainly of alpha-pinene, but also including beta-pinene), and limonene (delta-limonene). Further a-cadinol, d-sylvestrene, borneol, bornyl acetate, dipentene, cardinene, longifolene, and phellandrene have been found.

Synergic Combinations

Pine blends particularly well with Bergamot, Cedarwood, Cypress, Eucalypt, Lavender, Lemon, Niaouli, Rosemary, Sage and Tea Tree.

Historical

Pine has a history of spiritual and inspirational significance in Scotland where, dating back to pre-Christian Celtic and Pictish cultures, it was a part of the clan totems of the Grant and MacGregor families. Sacred to the Druids Pine has been considered a symbol of Long Life by many cultures around the world. This Pine was first investigated by Hippocrates for its benefits to the respiratory system. Pine is a popular Christmas tree species because it grows to 6 feet in only 8 years. It is often used in reforestation, and also in erosion control. It is now used extensively as a fragrancing agent in many cleaning products, soaps, bath products and also as a flavoring agent in both the food and drink industry.

Plant Description

Pinus sylvestris belongs to a family of evergreen conifers that include about 90 species that grow in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. This pine grows to a height of 30 meters or more in the northern forests of Europe and is native from Western Europe to Siberia. It has a flat crown and a reddish-brown deeply fissured bark, needle-like gray-green leaves that grow in pairs, orange-yellow flowers and pointed brown cones. Pine is in leaf all year, flowers in May, and the seeds ripen from March to June.

Pinus edulis / Pinyon Pine / Pinaceae (Pine family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Pinyon Pine, Singleleaf Pinyon, American pinon, American Pinon, Colorado Pinyon, Colorado pinyon, Nut Pine, Pignolia, Pinon, Piñón, Pinyon, Pinyon Pine, Rocky Mountain Pinyon, Trementina De Pinon.

Scent

A clear, fresh and uplifting smell.

Aromatic Properties

Usually used in ritual or energy work for cleaning away negative energy. Strengthening the Aura and creating a strong base to support one's overall spiritual development and evolution.

Contents

Some of the constituents of the different parts are:
Needles: high in vitamin C, Sucrose.
Inner Bark: Tannin, Quercetin, Phenol.
Resin: Limonene, Essential Oil, Terpenes.
Kernels: fatty oil.

Historical

The seed crop of pinyon pine is valuable and is used in making candies, cakes, and cookies. The seeds were a staple food in American Indian diets and were eaten raw, roasted, or ground into flour. Seed crops are erratic, depending on moisture, and Indian migrations were determined by location of seed crops. Needles were steeped for tea. The inner bark served as starvation food for American Indians.
Today incense is made from crushed cones. Indians still use the pitch as a caulking compound for watertight baskets and as glue for turquoise jewelry. The seeds of Pinyon and Juniper nourish most wildlife in these forests and beginning 2,000 years ago the Anasazi created a civilization with these trees: they built homes and fed, clothed, and warmed themselves with Pinyon Pine and Utah Juniper. And they must have, as we still do today, found the redolence of a Juniper and Pinyon Pine fire to be one of the grand pleasures of life.

Plant Description

Pinus edulis typically grows straight, drops its lower limbs, has dark, tight, fissured bark, and its foliage is open and airy. Pinus edulis leaves are about two inches long, in bundles of twos, thin, and dark green. As with other piñons, the seeds rest in a deep cone-scale declivity and upper cone scale tissue holds the seeds in place, so seeds do not readily fall out and are readily available to avian dispersers. This pine is native to the United States. It occurs at moderate altitudes from 1600-2400m.

References

Colorado Pinyon, Wikipedia