Clean, green-floral opening with immediate hyacinth association. Dewy and crisp, with a watery freshness underneath. More transparent than galbanum, less earthy than violet leaf, brighter than lilac. The green quality is springlike — wet stems, cut leaves — rather than dark or herbal. Moderate tenacity; fades into a soft, clean floral.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Bright green-floral burst, dewy and hyacinth-like. Immediate springtime freshness.
After a few hours
After a few hours
Green character softens. Clean floral heart emerges. Watery undertone persists.
After a few days
After a few days
Soft, clean floral fade. Gentle and transparent.
The Full Story
A synthetic aromatic aldehyde (3-(4-ethylphenyl)-2,2-dimethylpropanal) used extensively in green-floral compositions. Florhydral is one of the key molecules for constructing hyacinth accords in contemporary use.
The scent is fresh, green, and distinctly floral — similar to of hyacinth with a clean, dewy quality. It has a brightness and lift that more natural-smelling green materials (galbanum, violet leaf) lack. The molecule provides what perfumers call a 'transparent green' — green without heaviness or earthiness. There is a subtle aqueous quality that adds to the dewy, just-rained impression.
Florhydral is used primarily as a modifier and accent in green-floral, muguet (lily-of-the-valley), and fresh compositions. At low dosages, it adds crisp, clean freshness; at higher levels, it becomes distinctly hyacinth-like. The material has good tenacity for an aldehyde and works with hydroxycitronellal, linalool, and green notes.
Hyacinth flowers produce almost no extractable oil — early attempts at steam distillation yielded such trace amounts that natural hyacinth absolute remains one of the rarest and most expensive florals in existence. Florhydral solved the problem by providing a reliable synthetic alternative at a fraction of the cost.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Fully synthetic. Produced by aldol condensation reactions. The molecule is manufactured by several major aroma chemical companies and is relatively inexpensive. No natural source.
Molecular Formula
C₁₃H₁₈O
CAS Number
67634-14-4
Botanical Name
N/A — synthetic molecule (a major aroma-chemical supplier)
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
FLORHYDRAL · FLORHYDRAL®
Physical Properties
Appearance
Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
In Perfumery
Green-floral modifier in hyacinth, muguet, and fresh-floral accords. Florhydral provides the crisp, dewy green character essential to spring-flower reconstructions. In hyacinth bases, it works alongside phenylacetaldehyde and galbanum. In muguet accords, it adds freshness alongside hydroxycitronellal and linalool. The molecule is adaptable enough to lift heavy florals (jasmine, tuberose) without altering their character, simply adding a green-fresh dimensi on.
