Botanical Archive No. 006

Sitka Spruce

Picea sitchensis

This tree has been extremely valuable to Indigenous peoples of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest for generations. Its roots were split and woven into baskets, hats, and waterproof containers. The wood was carved into tools, paddles, and canoes. The tips have long been used as a seasonal food (they taste amazing dipped into chocolate) and brewed into teas. This tree is one of the most important species of Alaska temperate rainforests, providing shelter for wildlife and stabilizing ecosystems. Harvest this tree with respect and care.

Archive record

Harvest

Harvest fresh spring tips in late spring when they are bright green, soft, and still covered in their papery brown shell. Older needles and resin can be gathered from naturally fallen branches. Never strip large amounts of new growth from one tree, and don't remove any bark from living trees. Harvest on a day when there hasn't been much rain recently.

Grown

Boreal forest edges, Interior Alaska

Bloom time

April- June

Drying notes

Best used fresh-infused into oil rather than dried. If you need to store them, dry them by laying them flat in a dark, cool, dry room. Needles can be dried for teas and simmer pots. Resin should be clean and allowed to fully dry and harden before breaking it and putting it into storage. If it is dried the right way, the needles will remain aromatic and green.

Storage

Store dried needles, spring tips, and resin all in separate airtight mason jars away from light and humidity. Best used within a year for best quality. Resin will store much longer when kept and stored correctly.

Recipes

Used in teas, Honey Syrup, Oxymel, Simmer Pot Blend, Infused Honey, Vinegar.

The largest spruce species in the world, Sitka spruce, can reach towering heights along the Alaskan coast. It has sharp, four-sided needles that are dark green above with silvery bottoms. The new growth tips are a cute lime green and very soft to the touch before they harden into sharp needles. The tips give off a citrusy smell.

These trees help my products smell amazing. I love crushing the needles, as they make my whole house smell like a fresh forest and give such a perfect scent.