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Bottlebrush

Q: Is Bottlebrush natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: No commercial extraction exists. Some research distillations of Callistemon leaves show 1,8-cineole and alpha-terpineol as major components, but no perfumery-grade material is produced..

FLOWERS / floral · fresh · sweet

Bottlebrush

Category	FLOWERS
Subcategory	floral · fresh · sweet
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Callistemon
Appearance	Pale yellow to light green liquid (essential oil)
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Australia
Pyramid	Heart

Honeyed-woody, slightly medicinal, with a eucalyptus-green edge. Callistemon smells like Australian heat — hot bark, nectar, and 1,8-cineole.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Honey-nectar sweetness over a medicinal-green eucalyptus base. Warm and dry, with a woody bark quality. Less sharp than eucalyptus proper, sweeter, with pollen-dustiness. The impression is of Australian bush under hot sun — aromatic heat, bees, nectar.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Honey-nectar, eucalyptol freshness, warm bark

After a few hours

Medicinal-green softens, warm honeyed woodiness

After a few days

Dry woody-sweet residue, faint eucalyptus trace

The Full Story

Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.) is an Australian genus in Myrtaceae, the same family as eucalyptus, tea tree, and clove. The particular red brush-shaped flowers give the genus its common name. No commercial perfumery extraction exists.

The scent concept draws on Callistemon's Myrtaceae heritage: 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol), terpineol, and a honeyed nectar sweetness. The leaves, when crushed, smell medicinal-green — clearly related to eucalyptus but warmer and less aggressive. The flowers contribute a honey-pollen note.

The fantasy accord might layer eucalyptol (medicinal-fresh), honey notes (phenylacetic acid), and woody-bark elements (guaiacol, cedrol) to create 'Australian bush in summer': hot, dry, aromatic, with insects buzzing around nectar-heavy flowers.

Callistemon species are popular ornamentals worldwide but remain fundamentally Australian plants — their evolution alongside eucalyptus gave them similar volatile chemistry.

This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Rose Monotone. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Did You Know?

Did you know?

Bottlebrush flowers produce so much nectar that birds can be seen drinking from them throughout the day. Aboriginal Australians soaked the flower spikes in water to create a sweet drink — an early form of floral cordial.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: No commercial extraction exists. Some research distillations of Callistemon leaves show 1,8-cineole and alpha-terpineol as major components, but no perfumery-grade material is produced.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture — key components: 1,8-cineole (C₁₀H₁₈O), α-terpineol, linalool
CAS Number	N/A — no standard CAS for Callistemon essential oil
Botanical Name	Callistemon
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Callistemon · Melaleuca (some species reclassified)
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Lasting Power	Moderate — 6-12 hours on blotter
Appearance	Pale yellow to light green liquid (essential oil)
Specific Gravity	0.89-0.93 @ 25 °C (est)

In Perfumery

Fantasy note combining honeyed florality with Myrtaceae medicinal-green character. No natural extraction exists. Built from eucalyptol, honey-type aromatics, and woody-bark notes. Useful in Australian-themed, honeyed, or aromatic compositions seeking warm, outdoor atmosphere.