- Type
- Trees & Vines
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Season
- Spring
- Sowing
- Foraged
Pine pollen
Pinus densiflora
Yellow pollen · gathered from the male pine flowers of late spring
Pine pollen is the yellow dust taken from the male flowers of the pine. The window runs from the end of April into early May, while the male catkins have ripened yellow but have not yet burst. Strip the catkins, spread them on paper and dry them in the shade, and the pollen falls; sieve it fine to take out the debris. Mixed with honey and pressed in a wooden mould it becomes songhwa dasik; stirred into honey water it becomes songhwasu. Each grain carries an air bladder on either side, which is what lets it travel so far on the wind. The yellow film over window sills each spring gets blamed for hay fever, but pine pollen grains are large and heavy and are seldom named as a main cause of spring pollen allergy, while oak and birch pollen flying at the same season are named far more often. The Donguibogam lists it in the Wood section as 松花, gives 松黃 as another name, identifies it as the yellow powder on the flower, and puts it ahead of the bark, the needles and the seed. Where it is gathered matters too: take it from clean pine woods, not from roadsides or forests that have been sprayed.
Year-Round Calendar
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Where It Grows
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Wild population
The Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) grows wild in mountains throughout the country, and pine pollen is collected from this tree. Harvest April, May
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- Wild population Known as akamatsu, it is widely distributed on the dry slopes of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.
- Wild population The same species is found in Dongbei (the northeast) and on the Shandong Peninsula. That said, much of the pine pollen sold commercially in China comes from other pines, such as Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) and Chinese pine (P. tabuliformis).
- Wild population Found in the coastal mountains of southern Primorye.
The native range of the Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) covers the temperate zone of Northeast Asia: the Korean Peninsula, Japan, northeastern China, and the Russian Far East. Pine pollen is not a planted crop but something gathered from wild trees over a few days in spring, so there are no national production figures; the list above was drawn up on the basis of native distribution and collecting practice. The pine species harvested for pollen differs from country to country, so the same name does not mean the same species.
- Optimum
- 15~25℃
- Range
- 5~30℃
- Hardiness
- Hardy
A temperate conifer that thrives on dry, sunny slopes. Temperature decides when the male catkins burst open, so the southern coast sees it in mid-April, the central region from late April into early May, and the mountains in mid-May — the further north and the higher up, the later it comes. In a spring with frequent rain, the number of days available for collecting shrinks further.
In Korea Nationwide
Common in mountains throughout the country. The pollen flies first in the south and later as you move into the central region and the mountains, so even within a single year there is a difference of about a fortnight from one area to another.
How to grow
- Light
- It grows on dry, sunny slopes. Pine will not tolerate shade, so it is common on open ridges and rocky faces
- Soil and depth
- Poor, free-draining ground. It will root in a rock crevice
- Spacing
- A mature tree stands over 20m. Give it plenty of room near a house, and if pollen is the aim, find a tree with low branches within reach in advance
- Watering
- Once established it needs no watering. It dislikes ground where water sits
- Feeding
- Rich feeding only draws it up. There is nothing to give; instead, check every few days through late April to see how far the male catkins have ripened
- Harvest
- Late April into early May, stripping the male catkins once they have ripened yellow and before they burst. Spread them on paper or cloth and dry them in the shade, and the pollen falls
What makes the difference. Sieve the fallen pollen fine to remove debris. A further method is handed down: stir it into water, skim what floats, let it settle and dry it again. Keep the dried powder sealed in the freezer
Why this one is harder. The window is extremely short. Once the catkins burst, a day or two clears them completely, so those few days have to be caught every year, and a wet spring cuts them shorter still
Common problems
- Pine gall midge You will see The bases of the needles swell into galls and those needles stay short What to do Cut out and dispose of branches carrying heavy damage. Report a wide outbreak to the forestry authority
- Pine wilt disease You will see Needles redden and dry and the whole tree dies within a year What to do Do not move felled trunks or branches outside a movement-restriction zone. Report it to the forestry authority and follow their instructions
- Pine bast scale You will see White woolly matter packs the bark crevices and the needles yellow What to do Thin the old branches for airflow. A wide outbreak is beyond what an individual can handle
This page describes how a crop is grown and used. It does not claim health effects for any food, nor is it intended to prevent or treat disease. Component and study notes are references only and do not mean the same result occurs in people. Consult a medical professional about health concerns.
Health Benefits
The old record — songhwa (松花). The Donguibogam lists this in the Wood section as 松花 and gives 松黃 as another name. It identifies it as the yellow powder on the flower and places it ahead of the bark, the needles and the seed. It is a short entry, and it sets down no nature or taste. This is a historical medical record and differs from how it is judged today.
Grains with air bladders. A pine pollen grain carries an air bladder on either side, which is what lets it travel far on the wind. It is also why the yellow film settles over window sills and puddles every spring. This is an account of form.
Sorting out the allergy question. Pine pollen grains are large and heavy and are seldom named as a main cause of spring pollen allergy. Oak and birch pollen flying at the same season are named far more often. This is where the most visible pollen and the one that provokes reactions part company.
Nutrition
- Sporopollenin (builds the outer wall of the grain) — a tough polymer that resists water and heat
- Protein (held inside the grain) — one of the principal organic constituents of pollen
- Water (still present in freshly gathered pollen) — why it clumps and moulds if it is not dried
A tough outer wall The outer wall of a pollen grain is built from sporopollenin, a tough polymer. It resists water and heat and does not break down easily, which is why pollen buried in the ground survives long enough to serve as material for pollen analysis. Grinding the powder fine and working it with honey for dasik is a response to the fact that it will not bind on its own.
The yellow and the dasik Songhwa dasik is pine pollen worked with honey and pressed in a carved wooden mould. Too little honey and it crumbles, too much and it slumps, so the measure is a mixture that holds together when squeezed in the hand. Set alongside dasik of black sesame and bean flour, the colours separate.
A misplaced reputation The yellow film that covers window sills each spring is conspicuous, and it gets blamed for hay fever. Pine pollen grains are large and heavy, though, and are seldom named as a main cause of spring pollen allergy, while oak and birch pollen flying at the same season are named far more often. What is most visible and what provokes a reaction are not always the same thing.
Where it is gathered Pollen settles together with whatever else is in the air. Taken from roadside or city pines, it carries exhaust and dust with it. Avoid sprayed forest as well, and gather from clean pine woods inside the hills. On someone else's land, permission comes first.
Pairings
○ Honey — songhwa dasik — Work honey into the pollen a little at a time until the mixture holds when squeezed in the hand. Press it firmly into a carved mould and turn it out with the pattern intact. The aroma is best on the day it is made.
○ Honey water — songhwasu — Dissolve honey in cold water and stir in a spoonful of pine pollen. The powder resists wetting, so add it in stages. It was served over ice in summer.
○ Black sesame and bean flour — Dasik is a sweet arranged by colour. Yellow pine pollen, black sesame and pale bean flour set side by side carry the table. Each needs a different amount of honey, so mix them separately.
△ Roadside and city pines — Do not gather from pines along traffic routes or in the city, because the pollen carries exhaust and dust with it. Avoid sprayed forest as well, and take it from clean pine woods inside the hills.
△ People who react to pollen — For anyone who reacts to spring pollen, stripping and shaking the catkins is itself a burden. Wear a mask, stand with your back to the wind, and stop at the first sneezing or itching of the eyes. When giving it to a child for the first time, start with a very small amount and watch.
△ Other people's woodland — Forest produce on private and state land cannot be taken freely. Get the owner's permission before going in, and inside a pine wilt disease movement-restriction zone do not break off branches and carry them out. Strip the catkins rather than cutting branches.
Varieties
- Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) (species) — Reddish bark and needles in pairs. This is the tree whose pollen goes into dasik
- Black pine (Pinus thunbergii) (species) — Grows on the coast. Dark bark and stiff needles
- Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) (species) — Needles in fives. Its cones give pine nuts
Source: Donguibogam, Wood Section 松花 · Korea National Arboretum species information system