Eating Pine Trees while Wild Camping in Coconino National Forest | ALERT: DO NOT EAT PONDEROSA PINES

Описание: FOR SAFETY: DO NOT EAT PONDEROSA PINES
See my pinned comment for info.

In this video I eat pine trees while wild camping in Coconino National Forest in northern Arizona. Many pine tree species are edible and some were traditionally used as survival food. The pine tree species I eat in this video is Ponderosa Pine. Ponderosa pines can be eaten, but they are not the best pines to eat as they produce alot of sap containing terpenes, which can irritate the digestive system, compared to other species and were historically more of a survival food than a staple. Also, Ponderosa pines have contributed to abortions in cattle due to isocupressic acid content, so Ponderosas should not be consumed by pregnant women. In this video I eat the needles, bark, and male cones of Ponderosa pine trees, as well as make tea from the needles.

Native Americans, early European settlers in America, Scandinavians, Eastern Europeans, Russians, Siberians, and the Japanese are all historically known for eating pines. The historically most popular edible pine species are Scots Pine in the Old World and Eastern White Pine in North America. Ponderosa, Lodgepole, and Pinyon pines were also popular in the New World, especially in western North America and especially Pinyons, which produce the same pine nuts that are eaten nowadays and grow at higher elevations in the southwest states, including near where I am camping. I have found a few Pinyon pines in northern Arizona and southern Nevada, and it was a real treat to harvest and eat the pine nuts.

The pine needles, cones, seeds, and inner bark are the main edible parts of edible pine trees. Sap can generally be eaten or chewed too but it contains varying levels of potentially irritating chemicals such as terpenes.

The deep inner bark of pines is called cambium and it is light colored and tender and a source of carbohydrates. I have never eaten cambium, but I have eaten more outer bark of these Ponderosa pines and to me it tastes similar to cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, which makes sense because they and pines contain similar terpene compounds which contribute to their flavors.

Pine needles contain vitamin C and can be chewed or brewed into tea. They taste like pine which is similar to lemony mint in my opinion, they have a notable slightly lemony or sour taste. It is not recommended to actually eat too many pine needles as they are very fibrous and difficult to digest. Digesting them may consume alot of internal water, so it could dangerously increase thirst in a survival situation.

Most pine species produce both male and female cones on the same tree. The male cones are almost always smaller than female cones, are seasonal, and grow in clusters. The female pine cones are the typical large pine cones that pines are known for, take about 1 year to grow, and can remain on a tree for years. Male pine cones contain pollen which contains small amounts of protein and vitamins, and may be allergenic. Female pine cones contain edible seeds. Pinyon pines are well known for the large edible seeds which are called pine nuts produced between the scales of their female cones and can be expensive to buy from the store. Pinyons may be the most popular pine nut species, but there are other species with large edible seeds. Many pine species have very small seeds that may be impractical to harvest. Young, green female cones are sometimes used to make syrup or candies.

Most true pine species are edible in atleast small amounts, but it's imperative to be absolutely certain about the species and it's edibility before consuming any pine or other plant. It only takes one mistaken identification to be fatally poisoned by eating a poisonous plant. There are some trees that look similar to pines but are poisonous, such as Yew and Juniper trees.

Yews are commonly used as a decorative hedge shrub in yards where I am from in the midwest states of the USA, they are the same species but just a trimmed version of full Yew trees. They are known for being the decorative pine look-alike bush with red berries and they produce deadly poison.

Junipers are common in the southwest states and almost all look similar to pines and produce blue or bluish berries which are actually very compressed cones. Different juniper species have varying levels of toxicity, with some being highly toxic, and should not be eaten. However, the berries of the common juniper, Juniperus communis, are considered edible in small amounts. Most junipers in the southwest states are of the species Juniperus osteosperma, are called Utah junipers, and are not considered edible. I have eaten a few berries from a Utah juniper and was ok, but it is not recommended to do it and eating alot of them could cause poisoning. I could feel how eating alot of them would probably make me feel sick. It is very easy to misidentify a juniper species, so it is best to not eat wild junipers at all.

There are also other poisonous trees that look similar to pines.