# Survival > Primitive Skills & Technology >  Pine tree question

## 2dumb2kwit

In the pictures and video's that I've seen, of people making pine needle tea, out getting the inner bark of pine trees, the pine's are short needle pines.
 We don't have those around here. We have long needle pines. Are these the same, as far a making tea, or eating the inner bark?

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## crashdive123

I don't know about the inner bark, but the needles will make tea.  Just chop em up or break em up in your hand - maybe half a cup and add boiling water.  Continue to gently boil for 10 to 15 minutes.

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## pocomoonskyeyes

As far as I know all pines(pinus spp.) are edible as far as inner bark and needles, oh and nuts.

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## Rick

I've had both white pine tea and blue spruce tea. Both are very good but blue spruce is almost a self sacrifice because the needles are so sharp. White pine has a very clean taste. It leaves your mouth feeling very clean. White pine is pretty easy to spot. The needles are in clusters of 5. Everywhere the needles sprout there will be 5 of them. Some chop the needles, I don't. I just add them to boiling water and let them steep for about 10 minutes. Add sugar or honey or whatever you like. White pine is my favorite. 

I'm not sure what you are referring to for short needle. Tamarack is one. No on the tea but you can make flour from it. Balsam Fir, no on the tea, yes on flour. Eastern Hemlock is another, yes to tea and flour. Eastern Hemlock is a tree and not the poisonous hemlock plant. 

Just make certain you don't misidentify an American Yew with Balsam Fir. American Yew is poisonous.

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## earth2res

Are all pine trees ok to make tea from?  I have a huge one by my front door and want to try the tea this winter.  The pine cones are tiny, but the tree is over 2 stories tall.


Sorry, I missed that earlier post. It is getting late!

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## Sourdough

> Are all pine trees ok to make tea from?


AVOID The ones that Rick, pee's on.

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## Ravnari86

The most common in FL are the longleaf pine. At least in my area. I use all the mentioned parts, and they are quite decent, readily available edibles. To be honest, here, GA, and TN I've yet to find a pine the inner bark wasn't edible on...

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## Rick

Nothing wrong with adding a little flavor. Yellow pine is good.

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## 2dumb2kwit

> I'm not sure what you are referring to for short needle.


 The pines around here are Loblolly pine. Their needles are longer than most other pines.(I think.) LOL

http://www.conifers.org/pi/pin/taeda.htm

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## Rick

Loblolly is still Pinus sp. so I can't see why it wouldn't be edible. White Pine is Pinus strobus and Loblolly is Pinus taeda. I would quickly add that I've never tried it.

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## Ravnari86

Never tried Loblolly, but it should be about the same. It seems to vary from sp. to sp. as to how much inside bark is there, but it's all been edible that I've run across so far.

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## 2dumb2kwit

Thanks for the info, y'all. 
If y'all keep learnin' me stuff, I may not be dumb my *whole* life! LOL  :Innocent:

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## pocomoonskyeyes

In the southeastern US the most common pines are mostly Slash, Loblolly and Longleaf. These are edible and utilitarian. On a side note for those who want to walk softly on the earth avoid using the Longleaf if possible. The Red Cockaded Woodpecker uses that species exclusively for nesting of a certain age/size.As the RCW is an enadangered species likewise the tree is also protected in most places. You can't miss the longleaf as it's cones are huge 6" or so and of course as the name implies the needles are much longer than other pinus spp.  Loblolly and Slash on the other hand are FAST growers which is why these are the spp. most used by the Paper Companies. Generally in 20 years they are ready to harvest for pulp and phone poles two of their most common uses.

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## 2dumb2kwit

uhhh...woodpecker.....red cockadded. This is a joke, right? LOL :Innocent:

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## Rick

Why are folks eating the inside barks of trees? I can understand doing that if you needed to but why muck up a tree just because? What am I missing?

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## pocomoonskyeyes

Nope , I was Serious. as a matter of fact  loggers are required to not cut for I believe around 30 yds of any nesting site they find.  Just a thought that we might want to pay attention to what we harvest as there aren't that many Longleafs, Slash and Loblolly pines on the other hand are oh so plentiful. at least in S. Ga. where I am from.

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## 2dumb2kwit

> Nope , I was Serious. as a matter of fact  loggers are required to not cut for I believe around 30 yds of any nesting site they find.  Just a thought that we might want to pay attention to what we harvest as there aren't that many Longleafs, Slash and Loblolly pines on the other hand are oh so plentiful. at least in S. Ga. where I am from.


 I was just joking about the name. :Innocent:

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## 2dumb2kwit

> Why are folks eating the inside barks of trees? I can understand doing that if you needed to but why muck up a tree just because? What am I missing?


 I wouldn't mess up a tree for it, but if I happen to see a recently fallen pine, I could really surprise a couple of my friends with this knowledge. :Innocent: 

(...and there is that just in case you need it thing. LOL)

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## pocomoonskyeyes

another thing to keep in mind about pine trees - it's uses - Apiece of "fat lighter"(stump wood usually that the sap has dried and hardened in it) this makes an excellent fire starter as the pitch burns really well, use a big enough piece as a torch and at night you can "jack" fish at night.Fish become blinded by the light and moving slowly, move your hand under the fishes belly, and with a quick grab - voila' you have fish for dinner. Please note this is illegal in most places, and should be used only in a true survival situation. The pitch also makes an excellent natural glue especially for fletching arrows. All in all a really good plant to know as there are many spp. and all have similar uses. Oh and don't forget pine nuts, The seed from the pine cone. it is edible and can be gathered without harming the tree.

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## 2dumb2kwit

I think the things that you mentioned, are part of the reason I had to ask.

 Let's see...you can burn it, you can stick stuff together with it, you can eat it....
*WHAT?* LOL :Drool:

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## edr730

I dry the white pine needles...or sometimes red and then just run em through the coffee grinder. Makes it easy to use. If you want white pine bark just get it from someone who cut one down. I just cut one on a property I have because the needles destroy roof shingles pretty darn fast. It's good clear wood that makes good trim or 2 bys. Almost a shame to use it on 2 bys.

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## flandersander

What about jack pine? Is the inner bark/needles edible?

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## EarthRocks

> As far as I know all pines(pinus spp.) are edible as far as inner bark and needles, oh and nuts.




This is exactly what i was looking for.  And it was posted 2 years ago.  Sweet.

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## socom2173

So, you wanna eat a tree?..

http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/edible-pine-bark

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## EarthRocks

Oh yes. i ve been stalking this one outside of my house for weeks and its getting colder and colder out.   haha.  Na, ive just got tons of differnt pines trees around my area and want to make sure I wont get sick for making a tea out of the needles of ANY pine tree.  But this is only something I want to try for medicinal use against colds and flus as someone has posted in here it is a great fighter against.

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## Rick

I'm not certain where you are located but white pine (Pinus strobus) is pretty plentiful through out the Midwest. It's easy to find, too, since it's needles are always in a cluster of five. I've tried Blue Spruce as well but it isn't worth the effort for me. The dang needles are as sharp as...well...needles. But the tea is good if not a bit more piney tasting.

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## EarthRocks

Yea Im in the colorado and see a selection.  but the one Ive hand my eye on is definately the sharp as needle pine.    Thanks i will be looking for the white pine.  I also found some wild rose or Rose hip  around my girl friends house I want to add to the tea.  thanks for the advice again.

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## wildgarden

Has anyone actually harvested the pine inner bark?  The outer bark seems really tough to penetrate so I am assuming one would take an ax to it?  Any specifics on harvesting?

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## Rick

Here are a couple of threads...

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ried+pine+bark

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ried+pine+bark

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## newzealandsurvival

I have consumed Pine and Douglas fur needles/buds, willow and poplar cambium isnt to bad, the best thing we have over here is Manuka and Kanuka, it is a flowering tree that is most commonly used for honey, the honey has antibacterial properties that are as strong as some pharmecutical antibiotics, top grade Manuka honey sells for around $50 for a small jar. the Manuka leaves make great tea.

manuka-tree.jpg

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## Kortoso

In certain seasons, conifer trees have bright green "growing tips" at the ends of their branches. I see this in my area with redwoods, Douglas fir and mountain hemlock (not water hemlock, hehe!). These are among the tastiest things and are probably loaded with vitamins!

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## survivalman123

yes, they all work the same. you can also make glue from the sap!

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## snakeman

all pine tree needles are edible. there are mostly shortleaf and virginia pines where i live, which have thicker needles than white pine (which i've never tried) but i'm assuming they all taste very similar. keep in mind though that pine needle tea has been known to cause miscarriages and other pregnancy problems, so don't drink it if that applies to you

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