Did You Know Every Part of Pine Trees Are Medicinal?

I sure didn't! And I tumbled down quite the rabbit hole learning about it.

Hiya!

I’m sure I’ve told you before that I’m a Pacific Northwest (PNW) girl through and through. It’s in my blood, as the saying goes. My ancestors made their way here as Oregon Trail pioneers and have remained for generations. I grew up camping in evergreen forests, and know the northern Pacific Ocean is for observation more so than participation and learning all about native plants in school.

But the PNW is especially known for Pine Trees — they’re everywhere. Not just in our infamous forests but throughout urban landscapes. I can see five right now from my window. I used to find them boring because of their overtly consistent appearance — many don’t change color in the Fall or lose their needles. As I’ve learned more, though, I’ve changed my stance. Pine trees are incredible. Let me tell you why.

Oh, and be warned, this newsletter is a smidge long because I learned so much!

Basics

When you think of Pine trees, you probably picture a Christmas tree, but they’re much more than that. They belong to the Pinus plant species and are called evergreens or coniferous trees—conifers for short. Technically pine trees are coniferous, but not all conifers are pine trees. There are over 100 kinds of pine trees, but over 600 types of coniferous plants exist.

Unlike deciduous trees, which have broad flat leaves that change color and shed during autumn, pine trees have dark green pine needles about the size and shape of a sewing needle. Instead of flowers, pine trees produce pine cones that contain seeds.

Pine trees grow between 4 and over 100 feet tall and are native to the northern hemisphere, though many species can survive in the southern hemispheres when planted and cared for. Some pine trees are known for their distinct piney smell.

They’re nicknamed evergreens because they stay green year round. This is also why they’re often used for decorations and celebrations during the winter months and why cultures worldwide and throughout the centuries revere evergreens as symbols for eternal life.

Still, it’s a little misleading to say pine trees are always green. Some species are considered deciduous pines because their needles turn color and fall off during autumn too.

An amusing example of this is in rural southern Oregon, where Hampton Lumber, a lumber company, had some fun with their reforestation process in 2011. After harvesting the trees, foresters plant various native trees to take their place. But this time, the company’s leadership decided to plant a smiley face in the forest for people to enjoy when driving by on the highway.

Image Credit: OregonLive via The Oregonian

According to an article by OregonLive, they used Douglas Firs for the eyes and mouth and larch trees— known for changing color and shedding their needles — for the face. This also means the smiley face is only visible during the Fall. Thankfully, we have another 20 to 40 years to see it before the area is harvested again.