Crithmum

NaturalGREENS, HERBS & FOUGERESfresh · green · aromatic

HeartPyramid

3/5Strength

—Tenacity

5Origins

Specimen

Crithmum maritimum

Definition

Green, salty-herbal, and coastal. Sea fennel growing on Mediterranean cliffs -- aromatic, saline, and resilient. The smell of the maquis meeting the sea.

GREEN FRESH SALTY MARINE

ROCK SAMPHIRE SEA ASPARAGUS

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Aromatic
Subfamily: Green notes
Cluster: Green leafy notes
Source: leaves and flowering tops
Chemical class: complex natural (essential oil)

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

3/5Strength

Medium

odour strength

Producing countries

Croatia France Greece Italy Turkey

Scent

Green, salty, and herbal. Like plucking a sprig of sea fennel from a Mediterranean cliff face -- the crushed leaves release a fennel-like herbaceous sharpness layered over the salt of the sea spray. Aromatic, coastal, and distinctly place-specific.

In PREMIEREPEAU

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

The Full Story

Crithmum (Crithmum maritimum), commonly called sea fennel or samphire, is a halophytic plant native to the rocky coastlines of the Mediterranean, Atlantic Europe, and the Black Sea. It grows in the spray zone of sea cliffs, in rock crevices where salt, wind, and sun converge.

The plant produces an essential oil rich in dillapiole, sabinene, gamma-terpinene, and thymol methyl ether. The aroma is distinctly green-herbal with a pronounced salty-coastal quality: part fennel, part sea air, part aromatic herb. It captures the olfactory character of the Mediterranean maquis where it meets the shore.

In perfumery, crithmum is a niche material offering an authentic coastal-herbal terroir. It provides the specific quality of salt-sprayed herbs that generic marine or green notes cannot replicate. The material is occasionally available as a steam-distilled essential oil, though production is small.

Crithmum functions in the top-to-heart range, providing aromatic, salty-green freshness.

—

Related: Acronychia Pedunculata · Adoxal · Agave · Algae · Aloe Vera · Aromatic Notes · Asparagus · Avocado

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Steam distillation of the aerial parts of Crithmum maritimum. Small-scale production, primarily in Mediterranean coastal regions. The plant is protected in some jurisdictions.

Formula: Complex mixture — key components: dillapiole (C₁₂H₁₄O₄), γ-terpinene (C₁₀H₁₆), thymol methyl ether (C₁₁H₁₆O)
CAS: 89997-98-8
Botanical: Crithmum maritimum
Appearance: colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odour strength: Medium
Synonyms: ROCK SAMPHIRE SEA ASPARAGUS

IFRA status

Restricted

Restricted — contains beta-damascenone (sensitizer). IFRA limits apply.

Physical properties

Specific gravity: 0.890 to 0.930 @ 25 °C (est)
Note: Steam-distilled essential oil from Crithmum maritimum aerial parts

In Perfumery

Top-to-heart note in Mediterranean, coastal-herbal, and maquis-inspired compositions. Functions as an aromatic, salty-green element with authentic coastal terroir. Built on dillapiole, sabinene, and thymol methyl ether. Pairs with rosemary, cistus, and marine notes.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02signature note

03lifting agent

04naturalizer

05freshness

Available as

essential oil