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Angelica Root Oil

Q: Is Angelica Root Oil natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation of dried, crushed roots. Yield is approximately 0.3-1%. The roots are harvested from two-year-old plants in autumn, when the essential oil content is highest. Major production in France (Auvergne), Belgium, Germany, and Hungary. The seed oil is a different product with distinct chemistry and aroma..

ROOTS AND MOSSES / earthy · musky · herbal

Angelica Root Oil

Category	ROOTS AND MOSSES
Subcategory	earthy · musky · herbal
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Angelica archangelica
Appearance	pale yellow to amber clear liquid
Odor Strength	Medium to Strong
Producing Countries	Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary
Pyramid	Heart

Earthy, peppery-herbal with a musky, almost animalic depth. Angelica root oil smells like damp earth turned by a spade in autumn — rich, green, with a penetrating herbal warmth.

Scent
Terroir & Origins
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Opens earthy, peppery-green, herbal. The middle is warm, slightly spicy, with increasing woody-musky depth. The base is notably musk-like — a natural macrocyclic musk quality that is rare in plant materials. More earthy than vetiver, more musky than galbanum, less green than violet leaf. The transition from green top to musky base is angelica root's defining quality.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Earthy, peppery-green opening. Herbal and fresh.

After a few hours

Warm spicy-woody heart. Musky depth begins emerging.

After a few days

Remarkable musky base — natural macrocyclic musk character. Persistent, animalic-warm.

Regulation & Reformulation

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Essential oil steam-distilled from the roots of Angelica archangelica, a biennial plant native to northern Europe. The root oil has a completely different character from the seed oil (which is lighter and more citrusy). The root produces a deeper, earthier, more complex material.

The scent is immediately earthy and green, with a peppery-spicy top note and a particular musky-woody base. Alpha-phellandrene and beta-phellandrene dominate the top, while macrocyclic lactones (including pentadecanolide — a natural musk) provide the characteristic musky-animalic depth. This natural musk content is remarkable — angelica root oil is one of the few plant materials that genuinely smells 'musky' without any animal-derived component.

In perfumery, angelica root oil is known for ability to bridge green-herbal top notes and musky-woody bases. It provides a vertical structure that few other materials can match.

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Related: Alpha Pinene · Angelica · Angelica Root · Artemisia · Barrenwort · Beachheather · Behini Tree · Beta Pinene

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Angelica archangelica was named after the Archangel Michael, who, according to medieval European legend, appeared in a dream to reveal the plant's medicinal properties during a plague outbreak. The plant was so valued that it was one of the few herbs carried by monks during the Black Death of 1347-1351.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of dried, crushed roots. Yield is approximately 0.3-1%. The roots are harvested from two-year-old plants in autumn, when the essential oil content is highest. Major production in France (Auvergne), Belgium, Germany, and Hungary. The seed oil is a different product with distinct chemistry and aroma.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	N/A — complex essential oil (key components: α-phellandrene, α-pinene, β-phellandrene)
CAS Number	8015-64-3
Botanical Name	Angelica archangelica
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Angelica archangelica root oil
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium to Strong
Lasting Power	24–48 hours
Appearance	pale yellow to amber clear liquid
Flash Point	110.00 °F. TCC ( 43.33 °C. )
Specific Gravity	0.85300 to 0.87600 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index	1.48000 to 1.48800 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Heart-to-base note in chypre, aromatic, and herbal compositions. Angelica root oil provides a unique vertical structure — green-herbal at the top, musky-animalic at the base — in a single material. It is particularly valued in chypre compositions, where its earthy muskiness complements oakmoss and bergamot. The natural musk content (from pentadecanolide and related lactones) provides fixation and depth. Also used in aromatic-herbal compositions and as a naturalistic musk source.