Ornithogalum

SyntheticFLOWERSfloral · fresh · green

Seven perfumesOne of them is looking at you

HeartPyramid

3/5Strength

—Tenacity

2Origins

Specimen

Ornithogalum spp.

Definition

Subtle, green-white floral with a papery delicacy. Star-of-Bethlehem carries almost no scent -- its perfumery note is a fantasy of purity and translucence.

FLORAL GREEN EARTHY SWEET AQUATIC FRESH

STAR-OF-BETHLEHEM

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Florals
Subfamily: White florals
Cluster: Green-fresh florals
Source: flowers
Chemical class: complex natural (essential oil)

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

3/5Strength

Medium

odour strength

Producing countries

Asia Europe

Scent

Clean, white, near-transparent. A whispered floral: less sweet than lily of the valley, less green than freesia, with a papery, almost invisible delicacy. The impression is of white petals on white linen -- purity expressed as near-absence of scent.

In PREMIEREPEAU

DISCOVERY SET7 × 2 ml →EXTRAIT DE PARFUMThe seven extraits →

The Full Story

Ornithogalum (star-of-Bethlehem) comprises about 200 species of bulbous perennials in the Asparagaceae family. The white, star-shaped flowers are visually striking but carry minimal fragrance. Most species are effectively scentless to the human nose.

In perfumery, ornithogalum is a fantasy note translating the flower's visual purity and star-shaped simplicity into olfactory terms. The accord is typically clean, white-floral, papery-transparent: a whisper rather than a statement. Construction uses hedione (for radiant transparency), muguet-type materials (for dewy white-floral freshness), and clean musks for skin-like softness.

Functionally, ornithogalum works as a light, transparent modifier in the heart zone. It provides white-floral purity without the weight of jasmine or the narcotic depth of tuberose. The note works in clean, minimalist, and bridal compositions.

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Did You Know?

Several Ornithogalum species are toxic -- the bulbs contain cardiac glycosides similar to those in foxglove. The common name 'star-of-Bethlehem' may derive from its star-shaped white flowers, but medieval herbalists also called it 'dove's dung,' a name whose origin is genuinely lost to history.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

No extraction exists. Ornithogalum flowers produce negligible volatile compounds. The note is an entirely synthetic fantasy accord.

Formula: N/A — no commercial essential oil
CAS: N/A — ornamental flower, no commercial essential oil
Botanical: Ornithogalum spp.
Appearance: No standard commercial essential oil; headspace-derived floral accord
Odour strength: Medium
Synonyms: STAR-OF-BETHLEHEM

IFRA status

See note

No IFRA Standard for the material itself (51st Amendment)

Physical properties

Note: No standard commercial oil; based on headspace analysis of Ornithogalum flowers

In Perfumery

Ornithogalum is a clean, transparent fantasy floral for the heart zone. Since the actual flower carries negligible fragrance, the accord translates visual purity into scent: hedione (radiant transparency), muguet materials (dewy white-floral), and clean musks (skin-like softness). Works in clean, minimalist, and bridal compositions as a near-invisible white-floral modifier.

Role in the formula

01diffusion enhancer

02lifting agent

03blender

04freshness

Available as

synthetic accord fantasy note