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Daphne

Q: Is Daphne natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Not commercially extracted. All parts of Daphne species are toxic (contain daphnin and mezerein). Fantasy accord..

FLOWERS / floral · fresh · green

Daphne

Category	FLOWERS
Subcategory	floral · fresh · green
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Daphne spp.
Appearance	Small persistent shrub bearing clusters of intensely fragrant, tubular pink-white flowers
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Asia, Europe
Pyramid	Heart

Intensely sweet, spicy-floral, and heady. Winter daphne (D. odora) is a powerfully fragrant shrubs -- a thick, honeyed-spicy sweetness that carries on cold air.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Intensely sweet, spicy-honeyed, and heavy. Like walking past a flowering daphne bush on a cold February morning -- the scent hits from 10 meters away, thick and honeyed, with a carnation-spice edge and a jasmine-like indolic depth. One of nature's most powerful floral fragrances.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Intensely sweet, honeyed-spicy. Heavy and far-reaching.

After a few hours

The spice settles. Rich, honeyed, jasmine-like warmth.

After a few days

A persistent, sweet, floral residue.

The Full Story

Daphne (primarily Daphne odor a, winter daphne) is a small persistent shrub native to Chin a and Japan, known for extraordinarily fragrant winter flowers. The scent is heavy, sweet, and spicy-floral, often compared to a blend of jasmine, hyacinth, and carnation, with a particular honeyed intensity.

The flowers bloom in late winter when few other plants are fragrant, which makes their scent even more striking -- the cold, still air carries the perfume farther than warm summer air would.

Daphne is not commercially extracted for perfumery (all parts of the plant are toxic), but its scent is so memorable that it inspires fantasy accords. Built from jasmine-type materials, spicy carnation elements (eugenol), honeyed-sweet florals, and heavy musks.

The note functions in the heart, providing a dense winter-floral richness.

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?

Daphne is named after the Greek nymph who was transformed into a laurel tree to escape Apollo's pursuit. Despite the mythological connection to laurel, Daphne and Laurus are unrelated botanically. All Daphne species are toxic -- just 10-12 berries can be fatal to a child.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Not commercially extracted. All parts of Daphne species are toxic (contain daphnin and mezerein). Fantasy accord.

Molecular Formula	N/A — no standard isolate
CAS Number	N/A — no commercial essential oil
Botanical Name	Daphne spp.
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	DAPHNE FLOWER · LAURUSTINUS
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	Small persistent shrub bearing clusters of intensely fragrant, tubular pink-white flowers

In Perfumery

Heart note in winter-floral, heavy-sweet, and dense compositions. Functions as an intensely fragrant, honeyed-spicy floral. Built from jasmine materials, carnation/eugenol, honey accords, and heavy musks.