Is Lemon Verbena natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation of the leaves.

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Lemon Verbena

CITRUS SMELLS / citrus · fresh · green

Lemon Verbena

Category	CITRUS SMELLS
Subcategory	citrus · fresh · green
Origin
Volatility	Top Note
Botanical	Aloysia citrodora
Appearance	pale yellow to yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength	High
Producing Countries	Argentina, Chile, Morocco, France, Uruguay
Pyramid	Top

Bright, clean lemon without the peel bitterness. The most purely citral-forward herb.

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

Scent

Lemon verbena opens with an immediate burst of bright, citrusy aroma — sharper and more papery than lemon peel, less juicy, with a clear citral signature. The green undertone is herbal-aromatic, distinct from the waxy-soapy edge of lemongrass. Within the first half-hour the citral evolves into geraniol and linalool, deepening into a soft-floral citrus tail. On skin the note fades within the first hour.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Bright and zesty, reminiscent of freshly sliced lemons with a green undertone.

After a few hours

Softens into a smoother citrus aroma with pronounced herbal notes.

After a few days

Retains a creamy citrus character, evoking freshness and clarity.

Terroir & Expressions

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The Full Story

Lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora Palau, formerly Lippia citriodora, Verbenaceae) — the same plant as 'vervain' in modern perfumery parlance — is a South American shrub introduced to southern Europe in the eighteenth century by the Spanish. The leaves are steam-distilled to give a citral-dominant essential oil with the cleanest, most papery lemon-leaf character of any verbenaceous aromatic.

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Chemistry

Lemon verbena oil is dominated by citral (CAS 5392-40-5, the geranial + neral isomers, typically 25–40% of the oil) [A], with limonene, geraniol, β-caryophyllene and a small green-leaf fraction. Citral is a known skin sensitiser, and lemon verbena oil is restricted under IFRA 51st Amendment QRA for leave-on products. Practical limits are typically below 1% of the finished concentrate.

Sources

[A] PubChem CID 638011 — citral, CAS 5392-40-5. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/638011.

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Lemon Verbena was historically used in herbal medicine for its digestive benefits and was favored by European aristocrats in the 18th century for its pleasant scent.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of the leaves

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture; major components: citral (C₁₀H₁₆O ~30%), limonene (C₁₀H₁₆)
CAS Number	8024-12-2
Botanical Name	Aloysia citrodora
IFRA Status	Restricted — sensitizer and phototoxic; IFRA limits Lippia citriodora essential oil and absolute
Synonyms	ALOYSIA · VERBENA DE INDIAS · LEMON BEEBRUSH
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	High
Lasting Power	24 hours
Appearance	pale yellow to yellow clear liquid
Flash Point	142.00 °F. TCC ( 61.11 °C. )
Specific Gravity	0.89000 to 0.92000 @ 25.00 °C.

In Perfumery

In perfumery, Lemon Verbena is a top note because of its bright and uplifting nature. Its citrus profile provides an immediate burst of freshness, used in opening a fragrance composition. The versatility of Lemon Verbena allows it to enhance both light and complex fragrance structures, lending refreshing counterbalance to richer, deeper notes.