Wild Scots Pine Essential Oil

The Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris, belongs to the Pinaceae (or Abietaceae) family and is a resinous tree that can reach 50 meters in height. It has a narrow and irregular, conical or globular crown.

Its bark, initially salmon-colored, turns reddish-brown over time and cracks into thick plates. The leaves of the Scots pine are flexible and bluish needles, measuring between 4 and 8 cm in length and grouped in pairs. The fruits are small ovoid or conical cones, measuring between 4 and 7 cm long and 2 and 4 cm wide.

Scots pine is widely distributed in Europe, from Scotland to Russia, and even extends 300 km beyond the Arctic Circle. It is also found as far as the Pyrenees and can grow up to 1,500 m altitude. This resistant and hardy tree tolerates the cold and grows on poor soils, whether acid or calcareous.

Scots pine essential oil (EO) is extracted by steam distillation of the needles. It is clear, colorless or pale yellow, with a characteristic resinous smell.