Q&A for How to Make Pine Needle Tea

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Yes, you could use either one.

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

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

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.

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.

You can make spruce tea year-round, and the needles you use will influence the taste of the tea: young, light green spruce tips will yield a light, slightly lemony flavor, while mature needles harvested during the winter will create a stronger, slightly more bitter tea.