Łódź, Botanical Garden

Native to Japan and Korea. Ornamental plant. Edible plant - seeds raw or cooked, rich in oil, have a resinous flavour; the pollen is used to flavour cookies in Korea; a vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood. Herbal plant - oil of turpentine, obtained from the oleo-resin of all pine trees, is antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, rubefacient, stimulant and vermifuge; it is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections; it is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB; applied externally in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers, it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils, etc. Useful plant - a tan or green dye is obtained from the needles; an extract of the cones is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an antioxidant.