Spruce (Black Spruce) (Picea mariana)



Updated 27 January 2024

Botanical characteristics

  • Kingdom: plantae
  • Subphylum: viridaeplantae
  • Infra-Region: Streptophyta
  • Division: Tracheophyta
  • Subdivision: Spermatophytina 
  • Class: Pinopsida
  • Order: Pinales
  • Family: Pinaceae
  • Genus: Picea
  • Part used: Needles and branches
  • Country of origin: Canada

Precautions for use

Caution! Black spruce essential oil is not suitable for everyone and is contraindicated in pregnant women and children under 6 years of age.

There are several ways of using it, but the oral route is reserved for prescription therapy.

Finally, people being treated for thyroid problems, asthmatics and epileptics are advised to seek medical advice before use.

Other precautions

Warning:

  • Consult a doctor before use by asthmatics, people undergoing treatment for thyroid problems or epileptics (due to the epileptogenic risk of this essential oil in high doses).
  • Use by ingestion is reserved for therapeutic prescription.

Cutaneous use:

  • Black spruce essential oil must be diluted 20% in vegetable oil (20% essential oil in 80% vegetable oil) before use.
  • The dermal route is authorised for pregnant women by medical indication, but this essential oil should not be applied to the abdominal region.

Diffusion: 

  • For pregnant women and babies, this essential oil can be used in air diffusion.

Allergenic components:

Black spruce essential oil contains biochemical allergenic components:

  • Limonene (≤ 5%)
  • Linalool (≤ 1%)
  • Citronellol (≤ 0.5%)
  • Eugenol (≤ 0.1%)
  • Geraniol (≤ 0.1%)

Note: It is best to test the essential oil before use (two drops on the crease of the elbow for at least 24 hours to check for a reaction).

Authorised users

 Adults and adolescents

  Children under 6 years

 Pregnant and breastfeeding women

 Infants under 3 years old

How to use

 Inhalation

 Cutaneous

 Oral

 Diffusion

Risks of use

 Skin irritation

 Cortisone-like

Properties

  • Antibacterial 
  • Anti-inflammatory 
  • General tonic 
  • Hormone mimetic: cortisone mimetic, gonadal stimulant, action on the thyroid gland 
  • Fungicide 
  • Antispasmodic 
  • Parasiticide 
  • Positivising 
  • Antitussive, expectorant, mucolytic 

Indications

Directions for use/usual dosage

  • Hospital rooms, unpleasant odours (cooking, cigarettes, etc.), epidemics: air diffusion.
  • Convalescence, fatigue: by air diffusion or olfaction (a few drops on a handkerchief) and/or as an unction diluted in a vegetable oil along the spine, on the kidneys and on the soles of the feet.
  • Viral infections: by inhalation, atmospheric diffusion and/or by unction diluted in vegetable oil along the spine, on the inside of the wrists and on the soles of the feet.
  • Skin parasites, eczema, mycosis, psoriasis: as an unction diluted in a vegetable oil on the affected area.
  • Muscle and joint pains, rheumatism, arthrosis: apply to the affected area diluted in a vegetable oil.
  • Bronchitis, cough, sinusitis: by inhalation and atmospheric diffusion and/or rectally with a suppository based on shea butter or a suppository from a pharmacy.
  • Nervous disorders, spasmophilia, anxiety, breathing difficulties: by inhalation and diffusion or diluted in a vegetable oil along the spine and on the solar plexus.

Find out more

Black Spruce EO is similar to Scots Pine EO in many ways, but contains more bornyl acetate.
Its stimulating effect on the adrenal glands makes Black Spruce EO a valuable ally in restoring vitality to a tired body and strengthening the immune system.
It can be used in combination with Scots Pine (massage the kidneys every morning for 1 week) to revitalise the body and "recharge the batteries".
Black Spruce tones the nervous system and helps to combat fatigue by giving the body the basic energy it needs.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory action, Black Spruce EO is effective in relieving muscular or rheumatic pain.
It is particularly indicated to relieve back pain and blockages (lumbago, sciatica, etc.).
Its antibacterial properties purify the respiratory tract.
In fact, Black Spruce EO is particularly indicated for the treatment of bronchitis, sinusitis or any other respiratory pathology.
Thanks to its expectorant action, it acts as an anti-cough remedy and clears congested airways.
In addition, Black Spruce EO acts as a natural cortisone mimetic.