How to Make Pine Pitch Salve and Pine Needle Serum
When my husband and I first moved to the Pacific Northwest, we immediately began to explore the vast wilderness areas around us so we could get to know our native plants here. One of the first things we started noticing about the trees in one particular area was that they had been drilled by woodpeckers and the resulting holes were full of gorgeous, aromatic resin. Those fragrant little pockets of sticky medicine are still one of the first things we point out to visitors who come to see us and want to know about some of our local plants. Pines are plentiful here.
Pine trees have been partnered with to support health and healing for many generations. Traditionally, they are symbols of wisdom, peace and longevity. The pitch, bark, needles, hydrosol and essential oil of many species of pine have long been worked with medicinally. Note: There are a few varieties of pine whose needles are toxic, so be sure you know how to identify the species prior to wildcrafting or ingesting needles.
Pine Pitch
Pine pitch is sometimes referred to as resin or sap. It is often used in survival situations to start fires and in first aid situations to help keep a wound clean and protected until it can be addressed more thoroughly (an herbal bandage, so to speak). It is often melted down to make a delightfully aromatic infused carrier oil that is then made into pine pitch salve or ointment, which are common first aid preparations used to address minor cuts, scrapes, and wounds. I like to keep a jar of it in my foraging kit. The pitch is also a drawing substance, so it can be used to help pull splinters out of the skin.I
f you have ever collected a bit of pine pitch, you know that it is incredibly sticky. It is often referred to as nature’s glue and can be used as a type of natural glue when living off the land. I have seen people melt it down and combine it with foraged charcoal powder to create a durable glue. The pitch is often melted down and applied to baskets, boats and shoes to give them a waterproof coating as well.
Pine resins can be mindfully harvested and used to formulate infused oils, salves, lotions and butters that can be valuable additions to your home apothecary.
Some of the Ways I Work with Pine Resin-Infused Oil:
in a chest rub for people who are feeling congested
in a warming salve for achy muscles, joints, and areas where increased circulation and a warming quality is needed
as a base for herbal / aromatic perfumes and colognes
in drawing salves, sometimes combined with activated charcoal and plantain (Plantago spp. - another great drawing herb for pulling out splinters, etc.)
in lotions and creams for addressing skin issues (in low dilution for skin care products)
INGREDIENTS FOR MY PINE PITCH SALVE RECIPE
2 ounces of mindfully harvested pine resin
4 ounces of organic olive oil that has been infused with dried violet leaves, plantain leaves, and comfrey leaves
1/2 ounce of organic beeswax
organic essential oils (optional)
Suggestions:
For chest rub applications - cedarwood, rosalina, black spruce or Siberian fir
For skin care or first aid applications - lavender, helichrysum, vetiver, or rose
For warming, circulatory applications - ginger, lavender, chamomile, or black pepper
To make your own pine pitch salve, place 2 ounces of pine pitch in a quart-sized mason jar and set the jar into a saucepan of water over low heat on the stove (double boiler method). Add 4 ounces of herb-infused carrier oil - I’ve used violet leaf, comfrey leaf and plantain leaf-infused oils as my carriers for this particular batch. It will take a little while for the pitch to melt into the carrier oil. Stir it occasionally and make sure the heat is kept very low. Do not leave the stove unattended. 1/2 ounce of beeswax melted into the mixture will help the salve to solidify once cooled. Once everything has been incorporated, strain the mixture through a coffee filter, a piece of muslin cloth, or a fine mesh sieve, pour it into a jar and let it sit until cool.
Notes
Mindful, respectful harvesting of resins is paramount. The pine tree produces resin to protect itself from infection when it has been injured or compromised. Be mindful of the size of the wound you're collecting from. Does the tree need the resin to stay there in order to protect itself in that area? Harvest elsewhere if needed. Don't harvest large pieces.
Pine resin is super sticky. You can use olive oil to remove it from your hands if needed. I prefer to keep a separate jar and utensils just for working with resins. You may want to adopt this practice as well. I store my foraged resins in the freezer when I am not working with them. This makes them easier to work with when I am ready to formulate with them.
Don't ever leave resins unattended while they are heating. Always use a double boiler method.
Pine Needle-Infused Oil
Pine needles are commonly used to make baskets and were traditionally used to stuff cushions and mattresses. They can be used to create a sort of soft bed on the forest floor and provide a great mulch for the garden.
In herbal medicine, they are mainly used to support the respiratory and immune systems. People who are dealing with coughs, congestion, sore throats, lung ailments, etc. are all people for whom pine needle recipes may be beneficial.
Pine needles are often used to make cough syrups and teas and are rich in vitamins A and C, among many other nutrients.
To make a pine needle serum that can be used topically, infuse dried pine needles into a lightweight carrier oil for 4 to 6 weeks, then mix that carrier oil with a skin-rejuvenating essential oil (optional) at a 0.5 to 1% dilution. This serum can be used as a facial serum and as a body or massage oil (for the latter, increase to a 2% dilution).
About the Author
Hi there, I’m Erin! I am the main instructor here at Floranella. I am a clinical herbalist, aromatherapist, artisan distiller and organic gardener based in the Pacific Northwest. Here at Floranella, I teach people how to work with plants safely and effectively from the garden to the apothecary. Thanks for being here! I’m glad you stopped by.
