Laura Dean Bennett
Staff Writer
These days, when we think of pinecones we think about crafts or home décor, but they can be used for so much more.
Evergreen trees provide food, shelter and nesting material for many creatures. Their cones, and the seeds contained inside them, are packed with nutritious oils and proteins.
Many birds – including chickadees, finches, woodpeckers and nuthatches – have specialized beaks which are well-suited to extracting the seeds from cones.
Black bears crush pine-cones and separate out the seeds from the spiky husks.
Squirrels and chipmunks collect pinecone seeds in the fall, store them in several underground locations and rely on their nourishment during the winter. Some of the forgotten seeds will eventually sprout and grow into new evergreen trees.
Pinecones provide shelter for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, ladybugs and lacewings, many of which feed on garden pests like mites and aphids.
Humans have long used the seeds and the cones of evergreens as food and medicine.
Before we talk about the cones that are safe to eat, let’s first dispense with those which are not.
Cones from yew trees are especially toxic and those from Norfolk pine, cypress trees and some cedars should also not be used for food.
If there’s any doubt of what species of cones you’re gathering, research the tree and be sure its cones are safe before you use them for food or medicine.
Very young green pine-cones and spruce cones can be diced up and eaten in salads and used as a topping as one would use nuts.
You can also use them to make pinecone jam and syrup.
Spruce cones can be used to make a healthful tea that may help with colds, cough and skin irritation.
They have been found to have antiseptic properties that may help with pneumonia, whooping cough and croup.
Scientists are learning that extracts made from pine-cones can boost the immune system, fight influenza, inhibit the growth of tumors and increase the body’s production of antibodies.
Pinecone extract was used by the ancient Greeks to treat many maladies.
Native Americans used both spruce cones and pine-cones to make a brew used to treat colds and coughs. They were also boiled into a poultice to be used on skin injuries and infections.
Both pinecones and spruce cones, being rich in tannin, make excellent fabric dye.
As a rule of thumb, cones which have been buried under snow all winter and gathered in the spring will produce the best color.
Old, brown pinecones will yield a lovely pastel pink dye – or, if left in the dye pot long enough – light brown to a dark brown with reddish tint.
To release a deeper red in your pinecone dye, use garden shears to cut up the cones and expose their deep red interior.
Spruce cones – depending on which spruce variety they’re from – can produce shades of pink, tan, purple and gray.
When gathering your cones, separate them according to their species, as each will render a different color.
Knock off all bugs and debris, rinse thoroughly and allow the cones to dry naturally. Store in a cool place, out of direct sunlight.
To make pinecone dye, add the cones to a pot and cover with water.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes – longer for a stronger dye.
You’ll notice that simmering pinecones produces an appealing earthy, woody scent.
Strain the cones from the pot and add fabric to the dye.
Simmer the fabric for at least an hour.
Turn off the heat and let the fabric sit in the dye for at least another hour.
Remove the fabric from the dye and rinse. If you want the color darker, repeat the process.
Pinecones are a real natural around the house.
Whether you’re going to use them for décor or crafts, choose old, dry pinecones.
Brush away dirt and debris.
Spread them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. This will melt out the cones’ sticky sap and drive out any hidden insects.
Once cool, your pinecones are ready to use for your projects.
You can make a chemical-free home fragrance with pinecones.
Soak old, dried pinecones with your favorite scented oil. (Don’t use young, green ones as they aren’t absorbent enough.)
Prepare pinecones by drying them in a 200-degree oven for about 20 minutes.
When they’re cool, sprinkle them with about 30 drops of essential oil (such as cinnamon oil), seal the bag and give it a good shake. Leave the cones in the bag for a few days to soak up the oil.
Gather them in baskets for year-round rustic décor or place them on the dining table or coffee table in a tall vase or bowl.
Come fall, use pinecones in their natural state or glam it up a bit by painting them in autumnal hues of red, orange and gold.
Include large pinecones in a table runner or centerpiece to dress up a fall or winter table.
Holiday decorating is a natural for pinecones.
For extra glitz, spray with gold or silver paint, or cover them with spray adhesive and roll them in glitter.
Arrange them on the mantel, add them to garlands and make pinecone wreaths.
Miniature lights tucked under and around pinecones, accented with colorful ornaments, make a festive display.
Of course, you can use them as Christmas tree ornaments.
Pinecones are great for the great outdoors, too.
Whole pinecones work well for wet areas and come in handy for preventing soil erosion on sloping, hilly garden terrain, especially if it’s also a shady area where grass doesn’t want to grow.
Their resin coating helps repel water, and their scales allow for air flow.
Pinecones also make excellent, long-lasting organic mulch. Like all mulch, pinecone mulch retains moisture and suppresses weeds.
Their anti-fungal and anti-bacterial qualities resist mold and fungus, repel slugs and other pests and provide habitat for beneficial insects and spiders.
They make a fabulously economical alternative to commercial mulch.
It’s especially good for acid-loving plants like dogwood, holly, blueberries, azaleas and rhododendron.
Another possible benefit of pinecone mulch is due to its spikey edges which may discourage pets from lounging or digging in flowerbeds or under landscaping.
Pinecones also provide lightweight drainage and container filler for large flowerpots, planters and window boxes.
Pinecones make a nutrient-rich compost. They are an excellent source of carbon (called “the browns” in composting lingo).
And they assist in resisting soil compaction, creating healthy, aerated soil.
Pinecones make great kindling for a backyard fire pit or chiminea.
Old, dried-up pinecones work best – young, green pinecones or spruce cones won’t do as they tend to produce too much smoke.
To use them as kindling, just chuck one or two pinecones in a paper bag, set the bag alight and get the fire started.
For extra entertainment value around the fire, amaze your family and friends with fancy colored, flaming cones.
They’re expensive to buy but not at all difficult to make.
Melt beeswax in a double-boiler. Dip your pinecones, one at a time, into the wax and set to cool on parchment paper.
Give them a second wax dip and before the wax sets, sprinkle them with a pinch of salt.
Vary the kind of salt you use to get different colored flames when you burn the pinecones.
Regular table salt makes bright yellow flames.
Epsom salt produces ghostly white flames.
Borax makes spooky greenish-yellow flames.
Potassium based salt substitute will create a purple flame.
The salt we use for de-icing the porch steps (calcium chloride) will give dramatically bright orange flames.
But be careful to cover your fire with a screen or stay well back when burning pinecones, as they do tend to snap, crackle and pop!
During the summer, tuck pinecones around your flowers to discourage chipmunks and crawling bugs.
In the winter, when the flowers have given up, spruce up empty flowerpots by filling them with pine-cones. Add evergreen sprigs for extra eye appeal.
Pinecones are a versatile material for all sorts of crafts.
A time-honored way to use pinecones is to make them into bird feeders – it’s a great year-round project for family fun.
Coat the cone with peanut butter (or any nut butter), Crisco (or lard), softened suet or honey.
Completely cover the cone in bird seed by rolling it in a shallow container of bird seed mix or diced sunflower seeds.
You may also press nuts and pieces of fruit into the crevices.
Large pinecones can be made into holders for plant markers.
If you’re battling bugs, try soaking pinecones with essential oils – many insects and other pests detest the smell of peppermint, eucalyptus, bergamot and lavender.
Just as you do when using pinecones for home fragrance, dry them in a warm oven for about 20 minutes.
When cool, put the cones in a bag with about 30 drops of essential oil, seal the bag and shake. Leave the cones in the bag for a few days to soak up all the oil.
Place the scented cones in flowerpots or baskets or tuck them among planters on your porch or in the garden.
You can grow pine trees from pinecones.
In the spring, collect a few young pinecones that have not opened yet – a closed cone indicates that the seeds are still inside.
Place the cones in a paper bag and put it in a warm place. The warmth will encourage the cones’ scales to open and release their seeds.
When the scales have opened, shake out the seeds. Seal the seeds in a plastic bag and put in the freezer for about 90 days. This simulates the winter season they’d have experienced outdoors.
After the “big chill,” fill small flowerpots with a well-draining potting mix and plant the seeds, one per pot.
They’ll need a warm, sunny location and slightly moist soil to germinate.
Chose a good spot for a new pine tree, and when your seedlings about eight inches tall, you’ll be ready to move them to their new home.