SPRUCE BLACK ESSENTIAL OIL
Picea mariana
Black Spruce is a North American Pine species, abundant in Canada and the northeastern United States. Newfoundland even proclaimed it as its ‘provincial tree’ - an iconic species chosen to represent the province. The dark, slender silhouettes of Black Spruce are a common sight in upland bogs and wetland areas. Birds and small mammals like chipmunks, squirrels, voles, and shrews depend on it for food and shelter. Native Americans have long cherished this tree and taught the white settlers its many uses.
Traditional
Native Americans used Black Spruce as food, medicine and a natural resource to fashion implements like spoons, trays and buckets. They used the tough fibrous roots to sew canoes, birch baskets and snowshoes and caulked their birchbark vessels with its pitch. They mixed the resin with animal fat to soothe inflammatory skin conditions, rashes, insect bites and burns. A vitamin C-rich tea prepared from fresh young shoots protects against scurvy and boosts the immune system. But the white explorers preferred brewing a vitamin and mineral-rich beer from the twigs.
Magical
Black Spruce essential oil is refreshing yet calming, restorative and grounding. It expresses the Saturnine qualities of resilience and endurance. Although slow-growing, it persists in hostile habitats and shares its resources to sustain others. The fresh scent of Black Spruce oil lifts the spirit and helps change perspective to gain clarity and insight. It promotes motivation in stuck situations and facilitates free flow of Prana.
Scent
The piney scent of Black Spruce oil evokes the serene magic of a walk in the woods. The essential oil has a softer fragrance compared to regular Pine oil. It blends well with Cedarwood, Bergamot, Frankincense, Juniper, Lemon Eucalyptus, and Tangerine.
Synonyms
Bog spruce, Swamp spruce, Short-leaf Black spruce.
Country of origin
Canada