Harvested from one of the most iconic trees of the northeastern North American forest, Pinus strobus — White Pine Bark — holds a foundational place in Indigenous healing traditions of the Eastern Woodlands. The Iroquois, Ojibwe, and many other nations prized the inner bark of the white pine as both a survival food during winter and a medicine for respiratory ailments, coughs, colds, and scurvy — a fact confirmed when French explorer Jacques Cartier’s men were famously saved from scurvy in 1535 by a tea prepared from white pine bark and needles by the Haudenosaunee people, teaching Europeans the life-saving vitamin C content of this tree.
White Pine Bark is extraordinarily rich in vitamin C, proanthocyanidins (OPCs), and antioxidant polyphenols that rival those of grape seed extract, making it one of the most potent natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory barks in North American herbal medicine. It is traditionally valued for respiratory wellness — easing coughs, breaking up mucus, soothing irritated airways, and supporting overall lung health — as well as for cardiovascular support, collagen production, immune function, and healthy circulation. Its warming, slightly resinous, and mildly sweet pine flavor makes it one of the most pleasant barks to prepare as a tea. In Indigenous spiritual tradition, the white pine is a sacred tree of peace and unity — the Haudenosaunee Tree of Peace — and its medicine carries deep ceremonial and protective significance.
White Pine Bark creates a warming, vitamin C-rich respiratory blend with Ginger Root, Licorice, and Rose Hips — ginger opens the airways and stimulates circulation, licorice soothes irritated mucous membranes, and rose hips stack additional vitamin C and antioxidant depth.
White Pine Bark is generally very safe. Very large amounts of vitamin C-rich herbs may cause loose stools. Those with pine tree allergies should use with caution. As always, consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before use, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
* Exceptionally rich in vitamin C and OPC antioxidants that rival grape seed extract
* Traditional Haudenosaunee and Eastern Woodlands respiratory herb for coughs, colds, and lung health
* Saved French explorers from scurvy in 1535 — one of history’s most documented herbal rescues
* Supports cardiovascular health, collagen production, healthy circulation, and immune resilience
* Sacred Tree of Peace in Haudenosaunee tradition — carries deep ceremonial and protective significance
1. Add 1–2 teaspoons of dried White Pine Bark to 10–12 oz of water in a small pot.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer and decoct for 15–20 minutes to extract the bark’s rich polyphenols and vitamin C.
3. Strain and serve warm. The flavor is pleasantly warming, mildly resinous, and slightly sweet.
4. Add honey, ginger, and a squeeze of lemon for a nourishing cold-season tonic. Drink 1–2 cups daily.
Also excellent as a cold-season preventive blend during fall and winter months.
