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Jonquille

Q: Is Jonquille natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Solvent extraction of Narcissus jonquilla flowers produces a concrete, which is further processed into an absolute. The absolute is a dark orange-brown, viscous liquid. Yields are extremely low — approximately 0.04% absolute from fresh flowers. Production primarily in Grasse, France, during the spring harvest. a labor-intensive and expensive floral extractions..

FLOWERS / floral · sweet · green

Jonquille

Category	FLOWERS
Subcategory	floral · sweet · green
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Narcissus jonquilla
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	France (Grasse), Spain, Mediterranean
Pyramid	Heart

Narcotic, green-floral, with a heavy honey-like sweetness. Narcissus jonquilla — a spring daffodil whose scent is headier and more indolic than you expect.

Scent
Terroir & Origins
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Heavy, narcotic, honey-green with an animalic undertone. More complex and headier than daffodil, less indolic than tuberose, with a specific narcissus-green quality that is both fresh and suffocating. The indole content gives it a slight fecal-animalic edge at high concentration that becomes intoxicatingly beautiful at the right dose.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Heavy honey-green burst, narcotic floral

After a few hours

Rich indolic-floral warmth, animalic depth

After a few days

Persistent honey-green residue, dark and complex

Terroir & Origins

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla) is a species of daffodil native to the Iberian Peninsula and southern France. Unlike the common garden daffodil (N. pseudonarcissus), which has a light, clean scent, jonquil produces an intensely fragrant flower with a heavy, narcotic, honey-green character.

Jonquil absolute is an expensive floral absolutes in perfumery. The scent is complex: a sweet honey-floral top note, a green narcissus character in the heart, and a faintly animalic-indolic base. Key odorants include benzyl acetate, indole (responsible for the narcotic heaviness), linalool, and methyl benzoate.

Production is centered in the Grasse region of southern France, where jonquils are harvested in spring. The absolute is obtained by solvent extraction via concrete, yielding a dark orange-brown viscous liquid with extraordinary olfactory richness.

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Did You Know?

Did you know?

The genus name Narcissus may come from the Greek 'narke' (numbness, torpor) — the root of 'narcotic.' The flowers' heavy scent was believed to cause drowsiness. The bulbs contain the alkaloid narciclasine, which is toxic and has been shown to have anti-cancer properties in laboratory studies.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Solvent extraction of Narcissus jonquilla flowers produces a concrete, which is further processed into an absolute. The absolute is a dark orange-brown, viscous liquid. Yields are extremely low — approximately 0.04% absolute from fresh flowers. Production primarily in Grasse, France, during the spring harvest. a labor-intensive and expensive floral extractions.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture — key components: indole (C₈H₇N), methyl benzoate (C₈H₈O₂), benzyl acetate (C₉H₁₀O₂)
CAS Number	90064-25-8
Botanical Name	Narcissus jonquilla
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	DAFFODIL
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow liquid

In Perfumery

Jonquil absolute is a heart note providing narcotic, honey-green floral character. a prized and expensive naturals in fine perfumery. Functions in narcissus-based compositions, spring florals, and concentrated white-floral accords. The indole content makes it a bridge to animalic-floral territory. Compatible with hyacinth, tuberose, and jasmine. The green-narcissus quality pairs with violet leaf and galbanum. Its rarity and cost mean it is used at very low concentrations — a few drops transform a composition.