How to Make Pine Needle Tea

Pine needle tea is made from (surprise!) pine trees. It contains significant amounts of vitamin C (up to five times as much as a lemon).^{[1]
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Research source} Moreover, it is refreshing and can serve as a decongestant.^{[2]
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James Wong, <i>Grow your own drugs</i>, p. 178, (2009), ISBN 978-1-60652-119-9} Here is how to do it.

Ingredients

Approximately 1 cup of water
A bunch of fresh pine needles from a green white pine (Pinus strobus) (see "Tips" and "Warnings" below for collection advice)

Steps

1
Put the water into a pot and bring it to a boil.^{[3]
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Research source} Or, boil the water in a kettle. Use whichever method you're used to.
2
Gather the pine needles, clean them, and then put them in the cup or mug.

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3
Pour the boiling water into the cup while the pine needles are in it and stir until the color of the pine needles starts to pale.
4
For more flavor, add the juice of 1 lemon or a squirt of lemon juice. Also try a squirt of honey or stir in a sugar cube.^{[4]
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5
Filter the pine needles out with a fork and drink up!
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If you have more time, try this method.^{[5]
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- Chop 1/2 a cup of pine needles finely. Add them to the boiling water in the saucepan.
- Reduce the heat and simmer the tea for 20 minutes. Don't heat any longer as the vitamin C is heat sensitive.^{[6]
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- Remove from the heat and allow to steep for another 20 minutes or overnight.^{[7]
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  Research source} The tea will gain a red tinge. Warm it up to serve or refrigerate if not drinking yet.
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Finished.

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Community Q&A

Question

Can I use dry pine needles to make tea? If so, do I use more or less needles?

Community Answer

Yes, you can use dry pine needles. You will need more because the natural juices are sucked out when dried, so to get more flavor you will need to add more needles.
Question

What can I use to clean pine needles properly?

Community Answer

Just wash them with water and rub them with a cloth to get dirt off.
Question

What kind of pine tree is used for pine tree tea ?

Community Answer

Most pine trees are safe to make pine needle tea. Some varieties of them are poisonous though, like Yew (Taxus), Norfolk Island Pine (Araucana heterophylla) and Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa). So check the variety carefully before picking up any needles.
Question

How often can I drink pine needle tea?

Community Answer

You can drink it every day or every other day. Avoid drinking too much, however, as it contains 4 to 5 times more vitamin C than orange juice as well as a high amount of vitamin A. Remember, too much of a good thing, including vitamins, can quickly become a bad thing.
Question

How do I dry the needles and use them in tea?

Community Answer

You don't. They're used fresh. You can dry them out by leaving them in a cool dry place, and they'll still work, but it's not essential.
Question

Can I use fir and/or spruce needles?

Community Answer

Yes, you could use either one.
Question

Can I use jack pine needles for tea?

Community Answer

Yes. Jack pine needles are completely safe for pine needle tea.
Question

Should I use young or old pine needles?

Community Answer

Use fresh pine needles. The age of the tree does not matter as long as the needles are green/fresh.
Question

Can I use Norway pine needles for pine needle tea?

Community Answer

No. They are poisonous, as are the needles of the Ponderosa pine. It would be a good idea to google "which pine needles are poisonous" if you have further questions.
Question

What is the antidote for pine poisoning?

Community Answer

The most common antidote for all poisonous plants is some charcoal and/or white wood ash mixed with water. The charcoal will help absorb the poison in your stomach, so it has less effect. The white wood ash helps relieve stomach pain. Also, plenty of water and rest. You can also go to the emergency center of your hospital, your doctor's or call a poison hotline for help.

Warnings

Make sure to clean the needles. Who knows what could be on them. There could be bug eggs, dirty water, etc.

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As with any wild food, be sure to collect from an area free from pollution and avoid any trees with disease.

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Do not consume this tea if pregnant or breastfeeding.^{[8]
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Hemlock trees are not poisonous. The hemlock tree is coniferous tree and a member of the Tsuga genus (family Pinaceae). The poisonous perennial, herbaceous hemlock plants that grow near streams and in fields (e.g. water hemlock, poison hemlock and hemlock water drop-wort) are members of the family Apiaceae. Therefore the two are totally unrelated and bear no physical resemblance to each other either. The reason why hemlock tree came to be named thus is because someone thought that when you crush the needles (it's a pine tree) the smell is similar to that obtained when you crush poisonous hemlock leaves, but that's the only connection.

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