Botanical Archive No. 1999

Sitka Spruce

Picea sitchensis

Tips traditionally used fresh for tea and infusions.

Archive record

Harvest

New growth tips gathered for a two-week window in late May.

Grown

Boreal forest edges, Interior Alaska

Bloom time

N/A — conifer, no bloom; new-growth flush in spring

Drying notes

Best used fresh-infused into oil rather than dried.

Storage

Infused oil stored cool and dark; fresh tips used within days of harvest.

Recipes

Cold-infused into jojoba oil over 4 weeks for hair oil; dried sparingly for tea blends.

Field Note No. 017 — same week, every year, or the window closes.

The scent is sharper right after rain.