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Magnolia Leaf

FLOWERS  /  floral · fresh · green
Magnolia Leaf
Magnolia Leaf perfume ingredient
CategoryFLOWERS
Subcategoryfloral · fresh · green
Origin
VolatilityHeart Note
BotanicalMagnolia grandiflora
Appearancecolorless to yellow clear liquid
Odor StrengthMedium
Producing CountriesChina, United States, Thailand
PyramidHeart

Green, waxy, faintly spicy. Magnolia leaves smell nothing like the flowers: darker, more herbaceous, with a eucalyptus-like freshness and a leathery undertone.

  1. Scent
  2. Terroir & Origins
  3. The Full Story
  4. Fun Fact
  5. Extraction & Chemistry
  6. In Perfumery

Scent

Green and waxy with a spicy-camphoraceous edge. Leathery from the thick leaf cuticle. A eucalyptus-like freshness from cineole. Less sweet than magnolia flower, more herbaceous, darker. The crushed-leaf quality is specific: smooth, glossy green with hidden spice.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Immediately

Green waxy freshness, camphoraceous lift
After a few hours

After a few hours

Spicy-herbaceous, leathery undertone
After a few days

After a few days

Persistent green-woody, faint spice

Terroir & Origins

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Magnoli a leaf (Magnoli a grandiflor a) offers a scent profile entirely distinct from the famous flowers. The large, glossy, persistent leaves conta in volatile compounds dominated by linalool, bet a-caryophyllene, and 1,8-cineole, producing a green, waxy, slightly camphoraceous arom a with spicy undertones.

The leaves have a leathery quality: the thick, waxy cuticle on the upper surface contributes a particular smooth-green note that synthetic molecules struggle to replicate. When crushed, the leaves release a more intense green-spicy scent with a faintly eucalyptus-like freshness.

In perfumery, magnoli a leaf is a natural note providing green-spicy character in compositions. It functions in the heart as a green modifier, offering a different magnoli a quality from the creamy-sweet flowers. The note works in green, woody-aromatic, and Southern Ameri can compositions. It bridges the gap between green-leaf notes and spicy-woody materials.

This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Rose Monotone. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

Related: Magnolia · Magnolia Brooklynensis · Magnolia Flower Oil · Saucer Magnolia · Star Magnolia

Did You Know?

Did you know?
Magnolia grandiflora leaves are so thick and waxy that they can take up to two years to decompose on the forest floor. The waxy cuticle that gives them their glossy appearance also makes them resistant to fungal attack and water loss.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of the leaves. The oil contains linalool, beta-caryophyllene, 1,8-cineole, and other terpenes. Less frequent than magnolia flower materials but available from specialty suppliers.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular FormulaKey compound: beta-caryophyllene C₁₅H₂₄
CAS Number8006-76-6
Botanical NameMagnolia grandiflora
IFRA StatusNo known restrictions
SynonymsMagnolia, Magnolia Leaves
Physical Properties
Odor StrengthMedium
Appearancecolorless to yellow clear liquid
Specific Gravity0.900 - 0.950 @ 25 °C (est)

In Perfumery

Magnolia leaf is a natural heart modifier providing green-waxy, spicy-camphoraceous character distinct from magnolia flowers. Rich in linalool, beta-caryophyllene, and cineole. Functions in green, woody-aromatic, and botanical compositions. Bridges green-leaf and spicy-woody families.

From the raw to the worn

This is what it becomes.