Pinus sylvestris steam Distilled from the Needles & Twigs, from North America

Aroma: The essential oil has a crisp, fresh, sweet, woody, earthy, balsamic, forest like aroma. It is more resinous and warm smelling than the regular pine oil, with a lower content of turpentines.

History: Pine needles, gum and teas are used by First Nations Peoples to prevent scurvy and the needles were used to stuff mattresses and to repel lice and fleas. The ancient Egyptians used the pine kernels in their cooking.

Colour: Colourless to pale yellow

Common Uses: Pine Scotch essential oil is viewed as an analgesic, antibacterial, antibiotic, antifungal, antiseptic, and as an antiviral. Aromatherapists credit its use for arthritis, asthma, bladder infections, bronchitis, catarrh, cholagogue, as a circulatory agent, for colds, convalescence, coughs, cuts, cystitis, as a decongestant and deodorant, and for detoxifying, disinfectanting, and acting as a diuretic. It has also been applied to eczema, those with laryngitis, lice, muscular aches, neuralgia, psoriasis, rheumatism, ringworm, scrapes, and sinusitis.

Consistency: Thin

Note: Top

Strength of Aroma: Strong

Possible Uses: Colds, coughing, flu, rheumatism, sinusitis. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 61-66.]

Constituents: Pinene, Limonene, Borneol, Bornyl Acetate, Cineole, Camphene, Myrcene, Phellandrene [Shirley Price, The Aromatherapy Workbook (Hammersmith, London: Thorsons, 1993), 54-5.]

Safety Information: Sensitization can occur. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 200.]

Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand does not indicate any special precautions when using this oil. [Robert Tisserand, Essential Oil Safety (United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone, 1995), 210.]

Cautions: Pine and pine needle oil is considered safe since it is non-toxic and non-irritant. Use these powerful oils well diluted on the skin since pines can cause irritation in high dosage and may sensitize the skin.

Photo thanks to James St. John Pinus sylvestris Linnaeus, 1753 - Scots pine (Dawes Arboretum, Licking County, Ohio, USA)