The Smell Wheel
Cannabis terpenes: the 37 that shape the nose.
Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that make one jar smell like pepper and the next like lemon peel. Here are the 37 most common in cannabis, grouped by what they smell like and sized by how often they lead a lab report.
Tap a wedge to spin to a family. Hover an orb for its aroma. Bigger orbs lead more strains.
🌶️CaryophylleneLeads 258 strains
Aroma: Spicy, peppery, woody
Unique among terpenes, caryophyllene binds directly to CB2 cannabinoid receptors. Its warm, spicy aroma is also found in black pepper and cloves.
Commonly associated with
Appears in: Terpenes: The Secret Behind Every Strain
🥭MyrceneLeads 256 strains
Aroma: Earthy, musky, herbal
One of the most common terpenes in cannabis, myrcene is known for its earthy, musky aroma reminiscent of cloves. It is often associated with relaxation, though the evidence comes mostly from animal studies, and it is popularly believed to enhance THC absorption.
Commonly associated with
Appears in: Terpenes: The Secret Behind Every Strain
🌲PineneLeads 72 strains
Aroma: Pine, fresh, woodsy
The most common terpene in nature, pinene smells like a pine forest. It may counteract some THC-induced memory impairment and promote alertness.
Commonly associated with
🍋LimoneneLeads 221 strains
Aroma: Citrus, lemon, orange
Found in citrus peels, limonene gives strains a bright, zesty aroma. It is associated with elevated mood and stress relief, and may have anti-anxiety properties.
Commonly associated with
Appears in: Terpenes: The Secret Behind Every Strain
🍺HumuleneLeads 92 strains
Aroma: Hoppy, earthy, woody
Also found in hops and coriander, humulene has a subtle earthy aroma. Unlike most cannabinoids, it may help suppress appetite.
Commonly associated with
💜LinaloolLeads 201 strains
Aroma: Floral, lavender, sweet
Also found in lavender, linalool brings a delicate floral scent. It is prized for its calming and sedative qualities, making it popular in strains used for sleep and anxiety.
Commonly associated with
Appears in: Terpenes: The Secret Behind Every Strain
🌳NerolidolLeads 50 strains
Aroma: Woody, floral, citrus, apple
A delicate sesquiterpene with a woody, floral aroma found in jasmine, ginger, and tea tree. Nerolidol is associated with calming, sedative effects and is studied for antifungal and antimicrobial properties.
Commonly associated with
🍏TerpinoleneLeads 81 strains
Aroma: Floral, herbal, piney
A complex terpene with floral, herbal, and slightly citrus notes. Found in lilacs and tea tree, it appears in sativa-dominant strains and is mildly sedative in higher doses.
Commonly associated with
🌱OcimeneLeads 8 strains
Aroma: Sweet, herbal, citrusy
Found in mint, parsley, and orchids, ocimene has a sweet, herbaceous fragrance. It turns up across many cannabis strains, whatever their indica or sativa label, and may offer decongestant properties.
Commonly associated with
🌼Bisabolol
Aroma: Floral, sweet, chamomile
A gentle terpene also found in chamomile, bisabolol has a light, sweet floral scent. It is valued for its skin-soothing and anti-inflammatory properties.
Commonly associated with
🍎FarneseneLeads 10 strains
Aroma: Green apple, woody, citrus
A sesquiterpene with a fresh green-apple and woody aroma, also found in apple skins, chamomile, and patchouli. It is associated with calming, soothing effects.
Commonly associated with
🫑Caryophyllene OxideLeads 1 strain
Aroma: Spicy, woody, dry
The oxidized form of caryophyllene, with a dry, spicy, woody aroma. It is the compound drug-detection dogs are trained to smell and is studied for analgesic and antifungal effects.
Commonly associated with
🌹GuaiolLeads 1 strain
Aroma: Piney, woody, rose
A crystalline sesquiterpene alcohol with a piney, woody scent also found in cypress pine and guaiac wood oil. Guaiol is researched for anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
Commonly associated with
🌲CampheneLeads 3 strains
Aroma: Damp woodlands, fir needles
With a sharp, pungent aroma like damp earth and fir, camphene is found in cypress and camphor. Research suggests potential cardiovascular benefits.
Commonly associated with
🌿Isopulegol
Aroma: Minty, herbal, woody
A minty, herbal terpene and a chemical precursor to menthol, found in lemongrass. Isopulegol is studied for calming and gastroprotective properties.
Commonly associated with
🫚p-Cymene
Aroma: Citrus, woody, spicy
Found in cumin and thyme, p-cymene carries a fresh citrus and woody aroma with a spicy edge. It often accompanies other terpenes and is researched for anti-inflammatory properties.
Commonly associated with
🌿TerpineneLeads 1 strain
Aroma: Citrus, herbal, woody
A family of citrus and herbal monoterpenes (alpha and gamma terpinene) found in tea tree, cumin, and marjoram. Prized as a strong antioxidant.
Commonly associated with
🌰Fenchol
Aroma: Earthy, pine, camphor, lime
A camphor and pine terpene with a fresh, earthy aroma found in basil, nutmeg, and pine. Fenchol is studied for antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
Commonly associated with
🌲Delta-3-Carene
Aroma: Sweet, piney, cypress
A sweet, piney terpene found in cypress, rosemary, and pine resin. Delta-3-carene is associated with a dry-mouth and dry-eye sensation and is studied for anti-inflammatory effects.
Commonly associated with
🍃Eucalyptol
Aroma: Minty, cooling, eucalyptus
Also called cineole, eucalyptol brings a fresh, minty, cooling aroma like eucalyptus. It makes up a small fraction of most strains and is studied for anti-inflammatory and decongestant effects.
Commonly associated with
🌸Terpineol
Aroma: Floral, lilac, citrus
With a pleasant lilac-like aroma, terpineol is often found alongside pinene. It has notable relaxing and sedative effects.
Commonly associated with
🌷Geraniol
Aroma: Floral, rose, sweet
A sweet, rosy terpene found in geraniums, lemongrass, and roses. Geraniol is a common ingredient in perfumes and is studied for antioxidant and neuroprotective potential.
Commonly associated with
🍊ValenceneLeads 1 strain
Aroma: Sweet citrus, orange
Named after Valencia oranges, valencene delivers a bright, sweet citrus scent. It is relatively rare in cannabis but prized when present.
Commonly associated with
❄️Borneol
Aroma: Camphor, minty, herbal, woody
A cooling, camphor-like terpene found in rosemary, mint, and camphor. Long used in traditional medicine and studied for analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Commonly associated with
🌹Nerol
Aroma: Floral, rose, citrus, sweet
The cis-isomer of geraniol, nerol shares the same rose-and-citrus character but sits a touch softer and sweeter. Found in neroli oil, lemongrass, and hops, it is a standard analyte on the SC Labs 39-panel.
Commonly associated with
🌿Menthone
Aroma: Minty, herbal, slightly woody
The ketone precursor of menthol, menthone delivers a clean, minty-herbal aroma found in peppermint and pennyroyal. It is less sweet than menthol and carries a mildly woody edge.
Commonly associated with
🍋Citral
Aroma: Lemon, citrus, fresh
A mixture of geranial and neral, citral is the sharp lemon note in lemongrass, lemon myrtle, and citrus peels. It is one of the most recognisable aroma molecules in nature.
Commonly associated with
🌱Thujene
Aroma: Spicy, herbal, woody
A bicyclic monoterpene with a spicy, thyme-like aroma found in thuja, cardamom, and savory. Alpha-thujene is the form most commonly reported on cannabis COA panels.
Commonly associated with
🪵Bulnesene
Aroma: Woody, cedar, earthy
A sesquiterpene hydrocarbon with a deep, woody-cedar aroma found in guaiac wood oil and patchouli. It is a minor component on COA panels and contributes to complex, earthy terp profiles.
Commonly associated with
🌹Guaiene
Aroma: Woody, rose, earthy
A sesquiterpene hydrocarbon closely related to guaiol but lacking the alcohol group. Its woody-rose aroma is found in rose, guaiac wood oil, and patchouli, and it is a minor but distinct COA analyte.
Commonly associated with
🌿Verbenone
Aroma: Earthy, minty, woody, camphor
A bicyclic monoterpene ketone found in rosemary, Spanish verbena, and some Haze-adjacent cultivars. Verbenone has a complex, camphor-meets-mint aroma and is studied for anti-inflammatory activity.
Commonly associated with
🌿Carvone
Aroma: Spearmint, caraway, sweet
A chiral monoterpenoid ketone whose two mirror-image forms smell completely different: the left-handed form is spearmint, the right-handed form is caraway/dill. Found in cannabis at trace levels.
Commonly associated with
🌸Farnesol
Aroma: Floral, musky, lily-of-the-valley
A sesquiterpene alcohol with a soft, floral-musky aroma that closely resembles lily of the valley. Distinct from farnesene (the hydrocarbon), farnesol is a structural isomer of nerolidol (both are made from farnesyl pyrophosphate) and found in ylang-ylang and rose.
Commonly associated with
🍊Nootkatone
Aroma: Grapefruit, woody, dry
The molecule responsible for grapefruit's characteristic dry, bitter citrus scent. A sesquiterpene ketone found in Alaskan yellow cedar, nootkatone appears at trace levels in some cannabis cultivars.
Commonly associated with
🌿Thymol
Aroma: Thyme, herbal, medicinal
A monoterpene phenol responsible for the characteristic aroma of thyme. Widely found in the herb family and studied for strong antimicrobial activity. Appears on extended cannabis lab panels at trace levels.
Commonly associated with
🌿Carvacrol
Aroma: Oregano, warm, herbal
The isomer of thymol and the dominant aroma compound in oregano. A monoterpene phenol with potent antimicrobial properties, it appears at trace levels in cannabis R&D panels.
Commonly associated with
🌳Eudesmol
Aroma: Earthy, woody, cedar
A sesquiterpene alcohol found in eucalyptus, calamus, and camphor oil. The alpha, beta, and gamma isomers all carry a warm, earthy-cedar aroma, and beta-eudesmol appears on HS-FET forensic cannabis panels.
Commonly associated with
Educational information only, not medical advice. Terpene and cannabinoid effects are an active area of research and vary by person, product, and dose. Cannabis is for adults 21+ where legal.
Track what works for you
Log every session, learn the science, and discover cannabis-friendly places. Free on iOS.
Download on the App StoreSearching on Google? Add WeedCentral as a preferred source.