Description

Batch: PV-001 (October, 2023)

Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana), also known as Scrub Pine and Jersey Pine, is generally small to medium-sized for the Pinus genus. It is considered a pioneer species as it bears seeds quickly (~5 years) and is very good at re-foresting heavily-disturbed areas such as former coal mines.  Virginia Pine’s native habitat ranges from New Jersey to Alabama, generally following the Appalachian Mountains and foothills. It is principally used to reforest and as pulpwood for paper and lumber products. Virginia Pine is also sometimes used for Christmas Trees and deer like to forage it.

Native Americans had many uses for the species; generally similar to uses for Spruce, other Pines and Eastern Hemlock. These include cold/flu treatments, antiseptic uses and cleaning practices. Pinus virginiana is not commonly distilled for essential oil so this oil is basically new to the market. Therefore there is little to no information/research available on the best uses for the essential oil. We will be sending a sample of this batch out for chemical analysis and will update this page with the results.

We used the needles and branches from 2 small (~10′ tall) trees to produce this test batch; wild-harvested from a dense/thriving patch of Virginia Pines on an organic (no-spray) homestead in Jupiter, NC. As Blue Ridge Aromatics’ resident aromatic alchemist, I find the aroma of Virginia Pine needles (and this essential oil) to be quite pleasant. Where white Pine is a very clean, soapy-like pine aroma, Virginia Pine is richer, deeper, a little sweet on the top end (hints of pineapple) with turpentine base notes. It’s like liquid Southern pine lumber!

As always, we’re excited to offer a new aromatic option to the market and would love your feedback on the aroma and the ways you use it! So please, if you are so inclined, let us know what you think; either by contacting us directly or by leaving a product review!