What: needles
How: tea
Where: prefer low wet areas, landscaping
When: all year
Nutritional Value: vitamin C
Dangers: needles also contain phytoestrogens which can cause miscarriages.
Loblolly pine
Loblolly needles are very long with three joined at the base.
Majestic loblolly trees, over 100ft tall at maturity, are often referred to as "telephone pole trees" as their long, thick, straight trunks made great telephone poles back in the day. They prefer low, wet areas but their vigorous growth and cheap price make them a popular landscaping tree in urban areas.
Like the pines of the north which Sacajawea used to cure scurvy in Lewis & Clark's men, loblolly pine needles are rich in vitamin C. However, they also contain phytoestrogen molecules which can lead to miscarriages in women. For this reason, pregnant women should avoid drinking pine needle tea whether from loblollys or other pines.
Unlike most eastern/northern white pines, the inner back of the loblolly pine is not considered a source of food/calories, which is a bummer because the cambium layer (inner bark) of white pines is delicious after cooking.
