Wet, bitter, intensely vegetal. The exact smell of a crushed stem leaking fluid — chlorophyll-like, faintly metallic, with a watery sharpness. Colder and more aggressive than dried green notes. Think freshly cut grass concentrated tenfold, with the sappy bitterness of a snapped dandelion stem.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Sharp vegetal burst, wet chlorophyll, metallic green
After a few hours
After a few hours
Softer herbaceous quality, less metallic, faintly bitter
After a few days
After a few days
Barely perceptible — volatile green molecules dissipate quickly
The Full Story
Green sap is a perfumery accord rather than a single botanical extract. It captures the raw, vegetal, slightly bitter smell of plant exudate — the fluid that seeps from a cut stem or a snapped branch. The dominant molecules in this olfactory territory are cis-3-hexenol (leaf alcohol), cis-3-hexenyl acetate (leaf acetate), and galbanum-type pyrazines.
The character is intensely green, slightly metallic, and wetter than dried herb notes. Where hay or coumarin-based greens are warm and soft, green sap is cold, sharp, and alive. It is the olfactory equivalent of a freshly mowed lawn concentrate.
In perfumery, green sap accords serve as top-note modifiers that provide an impression of rawness and naturalness. They are foundational to green chypres, modern herbaceous compositions, and nature-inspired accords. The note is entirely reconstructed from synthetic and semi-synthetic materials — no single plant extract captures the full spectrum of the accord.
This note in Première Peau. Simili Mirage · Gravitas Capitale. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.
Cis-3-hexenol — the primary molecule in green sap accords — is produced by plants as a wound response. When a leaf is damaged, enzymes convert membrane lipids into this volatile signal, which can trigger defense responses in neighboring plants within seconds.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Green sap is a reconstructed accord, not a single extract. Key components: cis-3-hexenol (leaf alcohol) from enzymatic conversion of linolenic acid; cis-3-hexenyl acetate (synthetic); galbanum oil (steam-distilled from Ferula galbaniflua resin). No direct extraction yields a green sap material.
Molecular Formula
N/A — olfactory accord
CAS Number
N/A — olfactory accord
Botanical Name
N/A — perfumery accord
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
fresh sap, tree sap
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
High
Lasting Power
24 hours
Appearance
Pale green to yellow liquid
In Perfumery
Green sap is an accord built primarily from cis-3-hexenol (leaf alcohol), cis-3-hexenyl acetate, and galbanum-type materials. It functions as a powerful top-note modifier providing raw, vegetal freshness. Essential in green chypres, herbaceous compositions, and naturalistic accords. Micro-dosages suffice — the constituent molecules are extremely diffusive. Bridges the gap between citrus freshness and herbal hearts. Often paired with galbanum, violet leaf absolute, and basil to create layered green structures.
