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Phoebe zhennan

Q: Is Phoebe zhennan natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Not commercially extracted. Phoebe zhennan is a protected species in China. No essential oil production exists. Fantasy accord..

WOODS AND MOSSES / woody · warm · rich

Phoebe zhennan

Category	WOODS AND MOSSES
Subcategory	woody · warm · rich
Origin
Volatility	Base Note
Botanical	Phoebe zhennan
Appearance	Pale yellow to amber viscous liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	China
Pyramid	Base

Rich, golden, and faintly camphoraceous. The imperial wood of China -- nanmu timber smells of aged sandalwood crossed with camphor, warm and regal.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Golden, warm, and subtly camphoraceous. Like running your hand along a 600-year-old nanmu pillar in a Ming dynasty hall -- the wood has deepened to amber-gold, and it exhales a quiet, regal warmth: part sandalwood, part camphor, part ancient resin. Dignified and irreplaceable.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Warm, golden, subtly camphoraceous. Sandalwood-like richness.

After a few hours

The camphor fades. Deep, resinous, aged-wood warmth.

After a few days

A persistent, warm, noble woody residue.

The Full Story

Phoebe zhennan is a large persistent tree endemic to southwestern Chin a, belonging to the Lauraceae family. Its wood, known as jinsi nanmu (golden silk nanmu), is a prized timbers in Chinese history -- it was reserved for imperial palace constructi on during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The wood has a particular, complex arom a: warm, slightly sweet, and faintly camphoraceous, with a golden, sandalwood-like richness. Aged nanmu develops a characteristic golden sheen and a deepened, resinous fragrance. The camphoraceous quality comes from the tree's membership in the laurel family (which also includes camph or laurel, Cinnamomum camphor a).

In perfumery, Phoebe zhennan is an extremely rare fantasy accord. The wood is prohibitively expensive (protected and scarce), and no essential oil is commercially produced. Perfumers might approximate it using sandalwood, camphor traces, warm amber notes, and aged-wood elements.

The note would function in the heart-to-base range, providing an imperial, aged-wood richness.

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

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Related: Almond Tree · Ambrox Super · Amburana Wood · Amyris · Blonde Woods · Caoutchouc · Cashalox · Cashmir Wood

Did You Know?

Did you know?

The Forbidden City in Beijing was constructed primarily from Phoebe zhennan timber. Some pillars exceed 12 meters in height and 1 meter in diameter, sourced from trees that were over 500 years old at the time of felling. The wood's natural insect resistance and camphor-like fragrance made it ideal for imperial construction.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Not commercially extracted. Phoebe zhennan is a protected species in China. No essential oil production exists. Fantasy accord.

Molecular Formula	N/A — complex wood material
CAS Number	N/A — no single CAS (whole wood)
Botanical Name	Phoebe zhennan
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	GOLDEN PHOEBE · NANMU · ZHENNAN WOOD · CHINESE MAHOGANY
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	Pale yellow to amber viscous liquid

In Perfumery

Heart-to-base note in imperial, aged-wood, and East Asian-inspired compositions. Functions as a noble, sandalwood-camphor hybrid. Extremely rare; no commercial extraction exists. Reconstructed from sandalwood, camphor traces, warm amber, and aged-wood elements.