This week for the herb of the week, I am going to start unveiling the deeper relationship that we as human beings can have with trees. Especially at this time of year (early winter heading towards solstice), as most of the herbaceous plants are gone for the year, the main source of green in our vision of the outdoors is probably a conifer of some sort. Conifers, which are often referred to as evergreens, are trees that have adapted to winter conditions in such a way that they reproduce through cones and generally speaking, keep their needles year round (technically conifers do lose their needles, just at a slow rate and not at the same time except for larches which do lose their needles at the same time).
Conifers have traditionally been revered at this time of year in a variety of ways. The most obvious one is the European tradition (which is now popularized over a lot of the world) of bringing in evergreen boughs, branches, and even trees in the form of the Christmas tree. But why do we do such a thing? Well, there are some pretty obvious symbolic reasons. These evergreen trees are potent symbols of surviving the harshness of winter. Keeping their needles and still appearing alive and fresh at this time of year is an indication of their power. However, there are also a number of practical reasons. Almost all conifers are rich in essential oils which are emitted from their needles, branches, and sap or pitch. These essential oils are very effective medicines especially against respiratory illness. There is the distinct possibility that the origin of bringing in evergreen decorations during the winter time was a form of preventative medicine.
In honor of this tradition, for the next few weeks our herbs of the week will actually be coniferous trees. We will start with the Douglas Fir, one of the classic trees used as a "Christmas" tree.
Douglas Fir, "Pseudo Fir"
Douglas Fir or Psedostuga menziesii, is a conifer widely distributed in the Western United States.
Appearance and Description:
Douglas Fir is characterized by extremely rough, thick bark in mature trees (in young trees the bark actually contains large numbers of resinous blisters filled with the potent pitch of the tree). It's needles are flat and friendly like most firs, but technically it is not a true fir only a pseudo-fir hence it's latin name of pseudotsuga. Douglas fir trees tend to have very few lower branches because they break off easily. Many consider the most distinctive feature of Douglas Fir it's cones. The cones are 3-5 inches long with very wide open "teeth". Inside these "teeth", are very recognizable structures that look like a little tail and possibly the small hindquarters of an animal. This has led to the popularization of a story about Douglas Fir trees saving the lives of a number of mice during a time of great fire.
Uses:
1)Needle and Branch Tea:
Collecting the still green branches and needles from Douglas Fir is quit easy. Often after a windstorm, there are numerous boughs on the ground. Taking two to three handfuls of needles and boiling them in water for 20-45 minutes produces a quite pleasant tea. This tea (or decoction) is very useful at fighting off early stages of cold, especially those characterized by thick nasal discharge and white or clear phlegm in the lungs. It can also be helpful for coughs, but more for the kind of cough that has not yet produced yellow or green mucous. The tea is very warming to the body and may produce a light sweat. The only precaution associated with the tea is that it can be very drying to the throat and lungs.
2)Needle and Branch Steam or Bath:
Douglas Fir is also used to make an herbal bath or steam. In this case you make the tea the same as above, but then that is either poured into bath water or a part of the body is held over the steaming kettle. This steam or bath is very good at driving out arthritis, join pain, and general aches especially those brought about by cold. This includes both chronic pain (especially arthritis made worse by cold) and body aches from flu that are made worse by cold.
3)Pitch, Sap, or Resin:
Many of the medicinal qualities of Douglas Fir seemed to be concentrated in the pitch from the tree. Usually found at wounds on the tree, the pitch can be collected and put directly on cuts or scrapes that have been thoroughly cleaned. The pitch can also be saved an added to salves, liniments, or even wound powders as a powerful antiseptic. Finally, burning of the collected pitch on hot coals produces an amazing aromatic smudge. This smoke has the effect of purification as well as many of the respiratory benefits mentioned above.
This holiday season as you bring greenery into your house, remember the original connection behind this now symbolic act. As we move towards the solstice, how can you work with the evergreens and their medicine to support your own journey to health and vibrancy?
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