How to make spruce tips tincture

This homemade Spruce tips tincture provides a burst of energy in a small portable bottle, helps remove toxins, and strengthens your immune system.

Externally this spruce tip extract helps ease pain in joints and muscles as well as heals wounds naturally. 

Spruce tops

Fresh light green needles at the top of spruce branches are tender and packed with golden ingredients. They are also called spruce tips or spruce buds and their power has been known for thousands of years. Spruce tops are wonderful edibles that are easy to pick and can be eaten raw or preserved in a form of syrup, tincture, oil, frozen or dried for later use.

Spruce tips benefits

Young spruce tips contain large amounts of vitamin C, which helps remove toxins from the body and strengthens the immune system.

The secret of their ability to ease a cough lies in their content of turpentine, which dissolves mucus, relaxes the bronchi, and enables easier expectoration.

This power is best used in the form of syrup or spruce tea. With its refreshing citrus taste, spruce tea is an excellent alternative to replace black tea. Simply inhaling spruce tea or pine tea can help ease your cough.

Spruce tips tincture

Knowing the medicinal benefits of young spruce tips, their short life span, and availability the spruce tips tincture seems to be one of the best options to be able to use their power all year long. 

Tinctures are highly concentrated versions of fresh herbs that are easy to apply. Due to their portability and easy administration, tinctures are suitable to carry with you everywhere you need them. Simple dosing and long shelf life are both major advantages of tinctures

Benefits of spruce tip tincture

If you decide to preserve young spruce tops in alcohol, you can make a spruce tip tincture that will gently melt away the alleviation of joint pain and aches we carry in our muscles. It also may help with rheumatism, improve blood circulation, and warming. The spruce tip tincture may also lessen the inflammation of the tendons.

Powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, and carotenoids, also present in young spruce tips play an important role in the maintenance and proper functionality of the immune system.

Other preserves that boost your immunity

Green walnuts preserved in raw honey,

Echinacea tincture

Elderberry tincture with rosehips.

They are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances that can enhance your immune system.

Fir vs spruce

The evergreen spruce tree is easy to identify. Its branches are sharp and pointy and each twig carries the needles singly. To further distinguish the difference between spruce and its cousin fir, you need to observe the needle, roll it between your fingers and if it rolls easily (meaning the needle has four sides) you have a spruce needle. If it’s flat and it doesn’t roll (meaning the needle has two sides only) it’s a fir.

Most of the conifers species are edible and I am lucky to have them (spruce, fir, and pine) in my neighborhood. A nice spring walk to the forest makes me relax and heals my body inside out.

When to harvest spruce tips

The best time to collect young spruce tips is in the springtime. If you feel that you miss it try higher locations, there might still be some fresh bright green tips available. Be careful with the trees, when I go to forage I leave young trees to grow and collect the tips from older trees and never pick the tips from the top. Also, I pick only a few tips from various trees so they have time to recover. 

Although pruning makes the trees bushy. For our tincture, we need to collect vivid light green tips that are no longer than two inches. 

Spruce tops are very versatile and can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked in soups or tea.

If you don’t have access to spruce this rejuvenating syrup from young pine spring shoots is packed with antioxidants and ready to boost your immune system. Pine needles are often used to make pine needle tea or pine oil.

How to make a spruce tip tincture

First step

Gather two cups of bright green spruce tips, wash them thoroughly, and place them on the parchment paper to dry a bit.

Second step

Place them in a sterilized jar and pour over alcohol of your choice, like vodka or brandy.  

I used 100- proof alcohol which contains 50% of alcohol and 50% water. Proof tells you how much of the liquid is water and how much is pure ethyl alcohol (ethanol). If you want to use vodka or other liquor for your tincture simply divide the proof by two. Make sure you use at least 80 – proof (40 %) alcohol to properly extract the plant constituents as well as to preserve the tincture.

Third step

Add one tablespoon of raw honey and mix it well.

Fourth step

Cover the jar with a plastic lid or use parchment paper in between the lid and the glass jar to avoid any corrosion and close it tightly. Place it in a dark and cold place where you can see it as you will need to shake it from time to time.

Also, check if the alcohol hasn’t evaporated and that all spruce tips are fully submerged in the alcohol. Add more if needed.

Fifth step

After 4-6 weeks (alcohol needs to absorb the active components of spruce tips) strain the herbal material with a strainer or through cheesecloth and you will get pure spruce tips tincture.  

Sixth step

Label the jars with some basic information such as the name, date, and percentage of the alcohol you used for the tincture.

Enjoying making tinctures? Try this mistletoe tincture or lemon balm tincture for stress and anxiety relief.

How to use spruce tips tincture

1. Internally Spruce tips tincture helps you to support the immune system when the cold season hits. Fill a dropper and drop it under your tongue. Hold it in your mouth for a few seconds. Rinse your mouth to get rid of the bitter taste. Use No more than 2 small droppers per day. Don’t give to children
2. The tincture will warm your body up and allow better blood circulation
3. Externally the spruce tips tincture may help you ease the aches and pains in your joints and muscles. Apply twice a day to the affected areas.
4. Can reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis
5. Its healing power can help heal wounds
6. A drop or two of the tincture is sufficient to add flavor to your cocktails. 
7. as a mouthwash for gingivitis –  You can dilute a few drops of tincture in a glass of water and use it as a mouth rinse
8. Make an instant cup of tea. Add two drops (squeezes) of tincture to a cup of warm water. Considering the bitter taste and alcohol in the tincture, adding tincture into a cup of warm water might do the trick for children. With a little bit of honey, you make a wonderful tea that will strengthen their immune system and soothe and restore a cold or sore throat