Douglas-Fir Pitch

Throughout the year, keep an eye out for Douglas fir pitch. This fragrant resin is produced by the tree as part of its natural defense system, helping to seal wounds and protect damaged areas.

Fresh pitch can range in consistency from thick and sticky, much like honey, to nearly solid when it has dried and hardened on the bark. You may find it slowly flowing down the trunk, collecting beneath an older wound or hardening into small amber-colored chunks.

When harvesting, gently collect pitch that has already flowed away from the original wound. A knife can be used to carefully lift hardened pieces from the bark, while softer pitch can be scraped directly into a small jar.

One important rule: never harvest directly from an active wound. The pitch is there for a reason—it is part of the tree’s natural mechanism for sealing and protecting itself. Removing it from a fresh wound can interfere with that process.

Instead, look for pitch that has already traveled down the trunk and is no longer actively serving as the tree’s protective seal. Taking only what the tree has naturally released allows us to gather from the forest while still respecting the tree’s healing process.

As with any wild plant or tree material, take only what you need and leave plenty behind. Foraging is an opportunity to build a relationship with the landscape, not simply a way to collect from it.

Ways to Use:

• Drink the bark tea to stop intestinal tract bleeding and relieve diarrhea.

• Use an external wash of the tea to heal cuts, abrasions, or burns.

• Apply the pitch directly to wounds to speed healing and prevent infection.

• Rub the pitch-infused oil on sore muscles. Use the salve for healing wounds or as a chest rub for colds, flus, and chest and sinus infections.

• The spring tips, eaten fresh, brewed as a tea, or made into syrup, are high in vitamin C.