COMMON NAME: Spruce, Black Spruce

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Picea mariana, Picea species, Picea nigra

FAMILY NAME: Pinaeae (Pine)

INDIGENOUS COUNTRY: North America

COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION: Canada

HISTORY INFORMATION: Native Americans made spruce beer to prevent scurvy. The twigs and cones of spruce trees were boiled in maple syrup and taken hot as a refreshing year-round drink. Captain Cook on one of his voyages used it to fight scurvy. In American folk medicine, it was used as a preventive for vitamin deficiency. Spruce resin was used for chewing gum

GENERAL INFORMATION: There are fifty species of spruce: hemlock spruce (Tsuga canadensis, P. canadennis) Norway spruce or British Christmas tree (P. abies, P. excelsa), white spruce or Canadian spruce (P. alba, P. canadennis), yaddo or yazu spruce (P. jazoinsis), Austrian or sachaline spruce (P. sachallnensis). Notice with all these spruces there is some confusion on the market especially when they mix species.

DESCRIPTION OF PLANT: An evergreen tree growing to 50ft high having dark gray bark with short, stiff needles producing small round clusters of cones. Can live for 1200 years.

PARTS PROCESSED: Bark and branches.

PROCESSING METHODS: Steam distilled

COLOR RANGE: Clear to yellow.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Class: Monoterpene/ester. Bornyl acetate greater than 35%, camphene, pinene, carone, borneol.

PHYSICAL ACTIONS AND USES: Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitussive, astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, hemostatic, nervine, parasiticide, rubefacient, sedative, tonic, vulnerary, warming. Used to calm, reduce stress, open sinus and breathing passages, uplift moods, improve mental clarity, encourage communication, disinfectant.

MENTAL USES: I am my own person. I do not depend on the opinions of others for who I am or for what I do. I am guided by a balance between my intuition and my rational mind.

EMOTIONAL USES: Anxious, tense, afraid to take a risk, sexual repression or over-stimulated, perversion to body, gender frustration TO confident, balanced sexually, more accepting of body and self, happier with self and others.

SPIRITUAL USES: Can indicate that family, government, society may be letting you down. They promised that if you did certain things that you could count on them to be there. What you are finding is that they aren't there or what they said was wrong. It is time for you to grow up and become your own person. Spruce will help you make this adjustment. It also balances the sacral and solar plexus allowing for more light to enter the body. Working with spruce is important for those becoming more individualized or less detached from the world and removing themselves from consensus reality. Good to use when meditating.

APPLICATIONS: Aroma lamp, bath, diffusor, inhaler, light bulb ring, liquid candle, massage, mist spray, steam inhalation

WARNINGS\CONTRAINDICATIONS: Nontoxic. older oils can be skin sensitizing.