Calycanthus

NaturalGREENS, HERBS & FOUGERESfloral · warm · spicy

HeartPyramid

3/5Strength

48hTenacity

1Origins

Specimen

Calycanthus floridus

Definition

Fruity-spicy, wine-like, with strawberry-banana-clove complexity. Carolina allspice produces a complex single-flower scents in the plant kingdom.

FLORAL EARTHY SPICY SWEET GOURMAND WARM

Carolina allspice, sweet shrub

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Aromatic
Subfamily: Classic aromatics
Cluster: Herbal aromatics
Source: leaves and flowering tops
Chemical class: complex natural (essential oil)

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

3/5Strength

Medium

odour strength

Tenacity on blotter

48hours · 2 days

1 h6 h24 h3 d7 d400 h

Producing countries

United States

Scent

notably complex: ripe strawberry meets clove spice meets fermented wine. Banana-ester fruitiness mixed with eugenol warmth. No single quality dominates — the scent shifts and shimmers. Warmer than fruit, fruitier than spice. Genuinely unusual.

In PREMIEREPEAU

DISCOVERY SET7 × 2 ml →EXTRAIT DE PARFUMThe seven extraits →

Terroir & Transformation

The Full Story

Calycanthus (Calycanthus floridus), Carolina allspice or sweetshrub, produces an aromatically complex temperate flowers. Reddish-brown strap-petaled blooms emit scent variously described as strawberry, banana, wine, clove, bubblegum.

Volatile chemistry includes ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate (banana), eugenol (clove), cinnamate esters, and fruity compounds. This notable complexity from a single flower source is unusual.

No widely traded commercial oil or absolute exists. The reconstructed accord blends fruity esters, clove-eugenol, and wine-like elements. Thomas Jefferson grew it at Monticello.

Native to the southeastern United States. The seeds contain calycanthine, a strychnine-like alkaloid.

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Related: 4 Methylanisole · Almaciga · Arnica · Assam Tea · Camphor · Canvas · Carvone · Davana

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Small-scale steam distillation or solvent extraction. No widely traded commercial oil. Volatile profile studied academically but production remains artisanal.

Formula: Complex mixture — key compounds: calycanthine (C₂₂H₂₆N₂), linalool, benzyl alcohol
CAS: N/A — no standard CAS for Calycanthus essential oil
Botanical: Calycanthus floridus
Appearance: Pale yellow to amber liquid
Odour strength: Medium
Lasting power: 48 hours
Synonyms: Carolina allspice, sweet shrub

IFRA status

See note

No IFRA Standard for the material itself (51st Amendment)

Physical properties

Note: Essential oil / absolute from Calycanthus floridus

In Perfumery

Rare natural/niche note of notable complexity. The combination of fruity esters, eugenol, and cinnamate in a single source is unique. Functions in niche and avant-garde compositions. Resists categorization — neither purely floral nor gourmand.

Role in the formula

01diffusion enhancer

02modifier

03signature note

04blender

05volume builder

Available as

essential oil