Herb latin name: Black Spruce,Black Spruce Extract

Latin name: Picea mariana

Synonyms: Abies mariana, Picea nigra, Pinus nigraAbies mariana, Picea nigra, Pinus nigra

Family: Pinaceae (Pine Family)

Medicinal use of Black Spruce: A poultice of the inner bark has been applied to inflammations. Atea made from the inner bark is afolk remedy for kidney stones, stomach problems and rheumatism. An infusion of the roots and bark has been used in the treatment of stomach pains, trembling and fits. Aresin from the trunk is used as apoultice and salve on sores to promote healing. The resin can be mixed with oil and used as adressing on purulent wounds, bad burns, skin rashes, scabies and persistent scabs. The resin can be chewed as an aid to digestion. Adecoction of the gum or leaves has been used in treating respiratory infections and kidney problems. An infusion of the leaves has been used as abath or arub in treating dry skin or sores. Adecoction of the young twigs has been used in the treatment of coughs. Adecoction of the cones has been drunk in the treatment of diarrhoea. Adecoction has been used externally as agargle to treat sore throats. The cones have been chewed to treat asore mouth and toothaches.

---

Habitat of the herb: the herb: Cool slopes and bogs. Found on well-drained soils in the north of its range and swamps in the south.Found on a variety of soil types, it grows best in those that are moist and acidic
Edible parts of Black Spruce: Young male catkins - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring. Immature female cones - cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy. The cones are 1 - 4cm in diameter. Inner bark - cooked. It is usually harvested in the spring and can be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails. Seed - raw. The seed is about 2 - 4mm long and is too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate. A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips. A tea is also made from the needles and the bark. A gum obtained from the bark is collected in considerable quantities and used for chewing. Hardened blobs make an excellent chewing gum. It should be aged for 3 days or more before using it. The best gum is obtained from the southern side of the tree. Another report says that the gum, called "spruce gum", is a resinous exudation collected from the branches. A source of "spruce oil", used commercially for flavouring. The young twigs are boiled with molasses, sugar etc and then fermented to produce "Spruce beer". The beer is ready to drink in a week and is considered to be a good source of minerals and vitamins.
Other uses of the herb: A yellow-orange dye is obtained from the cones. Various native North American Indian tribes made a string from the long roots of this species and used it to stitch the bark of their canoes, to sew baskets etc. The pitch obtained from the trunk has been used as a sealing material on the hulls of canoes. Wood - light, soft, not strong. It weighs 28lb per cubic foot. Since it is a smaller tree than the other spruces, it is not an important lumber source for uses such as construction. However, it is widely used for making boxes, crates etc, and is valued for its use in the pulp industry to make paper, plus it is also used as a fuel.
Propagation of Black Spruce: Seed - stratification will probably improve germination so sow fresh seed in the autumn in a cold frame if possible. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible in a cold frame. A position in light shade is probably best. Seed should not be allowed to dry out and should be stored in a cool place. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. They can be planted out into their permanent positions in early summer of the following year, or be placed in an outdoor nursery bed for a year or so to increase in size. They might need protection from spring frosts. Cuttings of semi-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 8cm long, August in a frame. Protect from frost. Forms roots in the spring. Cuttings of mature terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long, September/October in a cold frame. Takes 12 months. Cuttings of soft to semi-ripe wood, early summer in a frame. Slow but sure. Layering. Lower branches often layer naturally in the wild.
Cultivation of the herb: Cool slopes and bogs. Found on well-drained soils in the north of its range and swamps in the south.Found on a variety of soil types, it grows best in those that are moist and acidic
Known hazards of Picea mariana: The sawdust, the resin from the trunk and even the needles can cause dermatitis in some people.

Herb latin name: Black Spruce,Black Spruce Extract

Latin name: Picea mariana

Synonyms: Abies mariana, Picea nigra, Pinus nigraAbies mariana, Picea nigra, Pinus nigra

Family: Pinaceae (Pine Family)

Medicinal use of Black Spruce: A poultice of the inner bark has been applied to inflammations. Atea made from the inner bark is afolk remedy for kidney stones, stomach problems and rheumatism. An infusion of the roots and bark has been used in the treatment of stomach pains, trembling and fits. Aresin from the trunk is used as apoultice and salve on sores to promote healing. The resin can be mixed with oil and used as adressing on purulent wounds, bad burns, skin rashes, scabies and persistent scabs. The resin can be chewed as an aid to digestion. Adecoction of the gum or leaves has been used in treating respiratory infections and kidney problems. An infusion of the leaves has been used as abath or arub in treating dry skin or sores. Adecoction of the young twigs has been used in the treatment of coughs. Adecoction of the cones has been drunk in the treatment of diarrhoea. Adecoction has been used externally as agargle to treat sore throats. The cones have been chewed to treat asore mouth and toothaches.

---

Habitat of the herb: the herb: Cool slopes and bogs. Found on well-drained soils in the north of its range and swamps in the south.Found on a variety of soil types, it grows best in those that are moist and acidic
Edible parts of Black Spruce: Young male catkins - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring. Immature female cones - cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy. The cones are 1 - 4cm in diameter. Inner bark - cooked. It is usually harvested in the spring and can be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails. Seed - raw. The seed is about 2 - 4mm long and is too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate. A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips. A tea is also made from the needles and the bark. A gum obtained from the bark is collected in considerable quantities and used for chewing. Hardened blobs make an excellent chewing gum. It should be aged for 3 days or more before using it. The best gum is obtained from the southern side of the tree. Another report says that the gum, called "spruce gum", is a resinous exudation collected from the branches. A source of "spruce oil", used commercially for flavouring. The young twigs are boiled with molasses, sugar etc and then fermented to produce "Spruce beer". The beer is ready to drink in a week and is considered to be a good source of minerals and vitamins.
Other uses of the herb: A yellow-orange dye is obtained from the cones. Various native North American Indian tribes made a string from the long roots of this species and used it to stitch the bark of their canoes, to sew baskets etc. The pitch obtained from the trunk has been used as a sealing material on the hulls of canoes. Wood - light, soft, not strong. It weighs 28lb per cubic foot. Since it is a smaller tree than the other spruces, it is not an important lumber source for uses such as construction. However, it is widely used for making boxes, crates etc, and is valued for its use in the pulp industry to make paper, plus it is also used as a fuel.
Propagation of Black Spruce: Seed - stratification will probably improve germination so sow fresh seed in the autumn in a cold frame if possible. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible in a cold frame. A position in light shade is probably best. Seed should not be allowed to dry out and should be stored in a cool place. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. They can be planted out into their permanent positions in early summer of the following year, or be placed in an outdoor nursery bed for a year or so to increase in size. They might need protection from spring frosts. Cuttings of semi-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 8cm long, August in a frame. Protect from frost. Forms roots in the spring. Cuttings of mature terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long, September/October in a cold frame. Takes 12 months. Cuttings of soft to semi-ripe wood, early summer in a frame. Slow but sure. Layering. Lower branches often layer naturally in the wild.
Cultivation of the herb: Cool slopes and bogs. Found on well-drained soils in the north of its range and swamps in the south.Found on a variety of soil types, it grows best in those that are moist and acidic
Known hazards of Picea mariana: The sawdust, the resin from the trunk and even the needles can cause dermatitis in some people.