Slender green needles projecting in bundles from the branches of pine trees are, in fact, photosynthetic leaves. Pine needles are streamlined and are particularly suited for converting sunlight into life sustaining food even on the coldest of winter days. Native American Indians have traditionally considered pine needles to have curative powers.

Pines (genus Pinus) are commonly called evergreens because they bear leaves year round, continually producing new needles as they gradually drop older ones. Characteristically, pine needles form in bundles that are spirally arranged along supporting shoots. Each bundle contains a specific number of needles associated with a particular type of tree. Pines having two or three needles in a bundle are typically hard pines. Bundles of five needles are generally characterized as soft pines.

The youngest needles towards the end of the branch have traditionally been harvested by Native American Indians and frontiersmen to produce a mild, red-colored tea that is believed to have medicinal properties. Pine needle baskets are still handcrafted from needles gathered from the forest floor. Made pliable after soaking, the needles are coiled and stitched into different shapes. A pale yellow or milky essential oil extracted from pine leaves is used for massage and has been thought to contain antimicrobial, antiviral, antiseptic and anti-rheumatic properties, although such claims have yet not been scientifically proven.