The effect of pine wood on health

The stone pine (Pinus cembra) is a special type of pine. It is often found at high altitudes in the Alps. It is considered the most frost-hardy tree species in the Alps. It can easily withstand temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Celsius, snow and storms.

The strikingly irregularly growing tree occurs primarily in the so-called Krummholz zone of the high mountains. Chirps settle in rocky areas where other plants would have no chance of survival.
The stone pine has different names in the different Alpine regions. This is also what she is known as

• Arve
• Work
• Arole
• Petschl
• Stone pine

The name probably goes back to the Middle High German word “zirben”, which means “to whirl around” or “to go around in circles”.

The stone pine makes a crucial contribution to preserving the ecosystem. With its deep, widely branched roots, it holds back snow and debris and reduces the risk of avalanches, landslides and mudslides. This is how the gnarled tree protects people and animals.

Did you know that the resin-rich wood of the pine tree has an extraordinary self-healing power? This means the tree can quickly cope with the wounds inflicted by storms or lightning strikes.

In 2011, in the International Year of Forests, the Swiss pine was named Tree of the Year in Austria.

Young pine trees still have a straight trunk. Older pine trees, on the other hand, have gnarled, irregular growth due to the enormous weather influences in the high Alps.

Growth heights of up to 20 meters are possible. Under good conditions, the bizarre trees can live to be more than four hundred years old.
The bark of young trees is still smooth. Only later does it open up. Then the typical scaled bark is created.

The long needles of other pines usually sit in pairs in a needle sheath. Pine needles, on the other hand, contain five needles in a needle sheath.

The needles are blue-green in color, five to eleven centimeters long and about one millimeter thick. Their cross section is triangular. Pine needles are quite stiff but flexible.

A layer of wax protects it from drying out and UV radiation. The needles remain on the tree for more than 10 years before they are shed.

The stone pine only produces flowers and fruits at the age of 40. In the case of separate-sex plants, both male and female flowers develop on the same tree. Male flowers are yellow-purple. The female flower cones are initially green-violet, later purple. Flowering time is from May to July. Pollination is done by the wind.

The fruits, the pine cones, do not appear until the fall of the following year. Eight millimeter seeds grow in them. They don't fall out on their own, but have to be removed. This important task is carried out by large birds such as jays and jays.
The seeds of the pine tree were once considered an important source of food in winter. Cooked in milk, they were said to relieve coughs and help against lung problems.

The trunk of mature trees can reach a diameter of about one meter. The wood of the stone pine is lighter than other types of wood. It has a reddish brown color and exudes a spicy aroma. A piece of fresh wood spreads the scent of the forest throughout the room in just a few moments.
Previous generations already knew how versatile pine wood can be used.

The wood is soft and easy to work with.

Even when dry, the wood forms few cracks. This makes it ideal for making furniture, paneling, lamps and decorative objects. Carvers also love using the fragrant wood. The shavings that are created during carving and furniture making are ideal as pine shavings for lighting firewood due to the pine oil they contain.

Have you ever heard that the wood of the pine tree is called lightwood? This is not just because the tree needs a lot of light to thrive. The reason for this is that pine wood is able to store solar energy. This property has positive effects on the well-being of people who surround themselves with furniture, lamps or other objects made from pine wood .

The wood, cones and needles of the stone pine contain essential oils. In summer, when there is strong sunlight, the tree produces a particularly large amount of pine oil.

Previous generations have long known about the positive properties of stone pine. Scientists have been able to demonstrate the positive effects of the spicy-smelling wood on people's health and well-being.
Pine wood

• calms, lowers the heart rate and ensures a restful sleep
• contributes to relaxation after a strenuous, stressful day
• stabilizes circulation and prevents sleep disorders
• has an anti-inflammatory effect and relieves cold symptoms
• has a stabilizing effect on people with depression and anxiety
• ensures a pleasant room scent
• improves the indoor climate

People who sleep in a bedroom with pine furniture feel rested, healthy and fit in the morning.

The wood of the stone pine can have a positive effect on health not only as a piece of furniture, floor lamp or wall paneling. Even as a filling in the pillow, the pleasant aroma contributes to a restful sleep.

Discover a selection of handcrafted furniture and lamps made from the fragrant wood of the high Alps in our shop.