Photo: Vladlen Terezhe, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Siberian Pine (Siberian Cedar)

Pinus sibirica

Also known as Siberian Cedar, Siberian Stone Pine, Cedar Pine, Kedr (Russian)

At a glance

Family

Pinaceae (Pine family)

Type

Coniferous evergreen tree

Parts used

Seeds (pine nuts), needles, resin, inner bark

Size

Typically 60 to 130 feet tall, slow growing and long lived, often standing for 400 years or more

Bloom

Pollen cones appear in late spring; cones take nearly two years to mature and ripen in the fall

Habitat

Cold boreal forest and subalpine slopes across Siberia, from the Ural Mountains east into Mongolia

Acquisition

Grow or buy

This plant in HerbSense

Key benefits

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Rich in vitamin C

Traditional respiratory comfort

Nourishing, protein-rich food

Supports skin and wound care

Traditional uses

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For the peoples of the Siberian taiga, this towering pine was less a tree than a pantry and a pharmacy standing in the snow. Its oil-rich nuts, gathered from the heavy cones each autumn, were pressed for oil, eaten raw, or ground into a nourishing paste that helped families through brutal winters when little else grew. The needles were steeped into a sharp, resinous tea that Siberian hunters and travelers relied on for warmth and vitality on long journeys, while the sticky golden resin was pressed onto cuts and sores as a traditional field remedy. Village healers also passed down the practice of breathing the steam from simmered needles to ease winter chest troubles.

How to grow & use it

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The full apothecary for Siberian Pine (Siberian Cedar)

Traditional remedies and step-by-step preparations, a complete growing guide, and how to harvest, dry, and store it, all unlocked with HerbLens Unlimited.

✦Remedies & preparations
✦ Growing guide
✦Harvest & storage

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Pairs well with

✦Rosehip
✦Spruce Tip
✦Ginger

Substitutes

✦Scots Pine
✦Eastern White Pine

Choose it when

“For the deep hush of the taiga, and a tree that has fed and warmed a people for centuries.”

Did you know?

A single Siberian pine can take up to 60 years before it produces its first cone, which is one reason the tree became a symbol of patience and provision passed down through generations in Siberian villages.

Safety

Siberian pine needles and resin are generally safe when correctly identified, but the tree can be confused with toxic conifers like yew, so be certain before foraging. Resin can irritate sensitive skin, and pine needle tea has traditionally been avoided during pregnancy.