Compiled by Tara Quackenbush & Ellie Irons for People’s Health Sanctuary Community Apothecary, 2025

White Pine (English) / Pinus strobus (Latin); / Skaęhetsiˀkona or Tsonerahtase’kó:wa (Kanienʼkéha/Mohawk); Zhingwaak (Ojibwe); pino blanco (Spanish); pin blanc (French)

As an evergreen, pine symbolizes everlasting life, longevity (long green needles of white pine), strength in unity (pine packet of needles), protection (branches), wisdom (conical/circular form, old age: many turns of the wheel) and hope.

Designated the great tree of peace by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy of Five Nations, this widespread conifer evolved here on these lands and across the (so-called) Northeastern United States. The tree has a long history of interaction with humans for health and material sustenance. 

White Pine reaches to the sky and is said to have four roots growing from her center, one in each direction. “To return to inner peace, one need only sit beneath the tree and pull back one’s energy into the center from all directions” (Judith Berger).

Evergreens have an affinity with the upper respiratory system with their stimulating expectorant (thins and promotes movement of mucous out of respiratory tract), pectoral (strengthening + healing to respiratory system), and immune stimulating (in addition to the vitamin c that supports immune function) actions. They also contain a volatile oil, pinene, specifically touted for enhancing natural killer cell activity in the body that has been studied in regards to shinrin yoku–forest bathing. 

No individual health without collective health.

Land health/care builds human health/care.

Bibliography:

The Great Tree of Peace (Skaęhetsiˀkona), The Indigenous Values Initiative, 2025

Judith Berger, http://www.judithbergerherbalist.com

Indigenous Peoples of Elbow Lake

Mary Siisip Geniusz. 2015. Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have to Do Is Ask: Anishinaabe Botanical Teachings. 1 edition. Edited by Wendy Makoons Geniusz. With Annmarie Geniusz. Univ Of Minnesota Press.

Sajah Popham, https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/