Cedar Leaves

NaturalGREENS, HERBS & FOUGERESwoody · fresh · green

HeartPyramid

3/5Strength

—Tenacity

2Origins

Specimen

Thuja occidentalis L.

Definition

Sharp, camphoraceous green — the smell of crushing arborvitae foliage between damp fingers. Not cedar heartwood at all: brighter, more terpenic, with an almost medicinal bite from thujone.

Cedar needles, Cedar foliage

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Aromatic
Subfamily: Herbal aromatics
Cluster: Green-herbal notes
Source: foliage
Chemical class: complex natural (essential oil)

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

3/5Strength

Medium

odour strength

Producing countries

Canada United States

Scent

Green, sharp, and immediately camphoraceous — nothing like the dry warmth of cedarwood. The opening is terpenic and bright, close to juniper or cypress but with a particular medicinal edge from thujone. Drier than fir needle, less resinous than pine, more herbaceous than either. A cool brightness sits underneath, like crushed sage mixed with turpentine. On paper, the thujone ketone note persists longest.

In PREMIEREPEAU

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

Terroir & Transformation

The Full Story

Cedar leaf oil comes from Thuja occidentalis — the eastern white cedar or arborvitae — not from true cedars (Cedrus). The distinction matters. Where cedarwood smells dry, pencil-shaving warm, cedar leaf is green, coniferous, sharp. The volatile profile is dominated by alpha-thujone (38–65% depending on cultivar and provenance), fenchone (9–13%), sabinene (2–6%), and bornyl acetate. The overall impression: camphoraceous brightness threaded with an herbal-medicinal edge.

The oil is distilled from the foliage and young twigs of trees at least fifteen years old, primarily in Quebec. Small family operations account for most production; roughly 80% is exported to the United States. Yield runs 0.6–1.0% by steam distillation. The ketone content — thujone plus fenchone — typically exceeds 60% of total composition, which accounts for the sharp character and also the toxicity that limits dosage in fragrance formulas.

In composition, cedar leaf provides a green-coniferous accent in the top-to-heart transition. It is not a standalone note but a modifier: it lifts woody bases, sharpens lavender-fougere accords, and gives specificity to generic ‘forest’ constructions. Used sparingly — a few tenths of a percent — it adds documentary realism to aromatic-woody compositions. Higher concentrations risk a medicinal harshness. The oil may be redistilled to reduce thujone content, which changes the olfactory profile toward something softer and less particular.

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

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Steam distillation of fresh foliage and young twigs of Thuja occidentalis (eastern white cedar). Trees must be at least 15 years old. Leafy branches are cut, dried briefly, then loaded into a distillation tank. Extraction proceeds under high-pressure steam; vapors are condensed in an indirect-contact heat exchanger, then separated in a Florentine vase. Yield: 0.6–1.0% by weight. The crude oil contains 60–70% total ketones (alpha-thujone + fenchone). Some commercial grades undergo redistillation to reduce thujone content for IFRA compliance, which modifies the olfactory character. Major production: Quebec, Canada, with approximately 80% exported to the United States.

Formula: Complex — key component: alpha-Thujone (C₁₀H₁₆O, up to 65%), Fenchone (C₁₀H₁₆O)
CAS: 8007-20-3 (Thuja occidentalis leaf oil)
Botanical: Thuja occidentalis L.
Appearance: Pale yellow to amber liquid
Odour strength: Medium
Synonyms: Cedar needles, Cedar foliage

IFRA status

Restricted

Restricted — thujone content subject to IFRA Amendment 49 (Standard 102). Maximum thujone levels per product category apply. Used in small quantities due to neurotoxicity.

Physical properties

Flash point: ~50°C
Specific gravity: 0.910–0.930 @ 25°C
Refractive index: 1.456–1.460 @ 20°C

In Perfumery

Top-to-heart modifier providing green-coniferous specificity. The high thujone and fenchone content gives cedar leaf a character distinct from any cedarwood material — sharper, greener, more volatile. Functions primarily as a lifting agent and naturalizer in aromatic and fougere compositions, where it bridges lavender and coumarin with woody hearts. At low dosages (0.1–0.5%), it adds textural realism to forest and outdo or accords without drawing attention to itself. At higher levels, the medicinal-camphoraceous quality dominates. Cedar leaf partners well with juniper berry, lavender, geranium, pine needle, and clary sage. In woody-aromatic masculine structures, it sharpens cedarwood or vetiver bases. IFRA restricts thujone-containing materials — cedar leaf oil must be dosed with attention to total thujone exposure across the formula.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02signature note

03lifting agent

04blender

05naturalizer

06volume builder

Available as

essential oil absolute