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Pikul Flower

FLOWERS  /  floral · sweet · fruity
Pikul Flower
Pikul Flower perfume ingredient
CategoryFLOWERS
Subcategoryfloral · sweet · fruity
Origin
VolatilityHeart Note
BotanicalMimusops elengi
AppearanceN/A — olfactory concept
Odor StrengthMedium
Producing CountriesMalaysia, Thailand
PyramidHeart

Heavy, jasmine-adjacent, and narcotically sweet. A Southeast Asian tree flower (Aglaia odorata) with a tiny, intensely fragrant bloom that smells of rice and jasmine.

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

Scent

Heavy, sweet, jasmine-like with a particular rice-grain undertone. Like pressing a handful of fresh pikul flowers to your nose in a Bangkok market -- the intensity is staggering for flowers so small. Sweet, narcotic, and slightly starchy. Jasmine's tropical cousin.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Immediately

Intensely sweet, jasmine-like, with a rice-starchy undertone.
After a few hours

After a few hours

The narcotic heaviness deepens. Sweet, warm, starchy-floral.
After a few days

After a few days

A smooth, sweet, floral residue.

Terroir & Origins

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Pikul (Aglaia odorata, Meliaceae family) is a small tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, Myanmar, and southern China. Its tiny yellow flowers (only a few millimeters across) produce a notably intense fragrance that is deeply embedded in Thai culture -- pikul flowers have been used for centuries in Thai garland-making (phuang malai) and traditional perfumery.

The scent is heavy, jasmine-like, and narcotically sweet, with a particular rice-like or grain-like undertone that sets it apart from true jasmine. The flowers contain odorine and related compounds that contribute to their unique aromatic profile.

Pikul flowers are not commercially extracted for international perfumery, though they are used in traditional Thai scented preparations. The note in international perfumery is a fantasy accord, reconstructed using jasmine-type materials, rice-grain notes, and heavy floral musks.

The note functions in the heart, providing an dense, specifically Thai floral richness.

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

Related: Abelia · Almond Blossom · Alpha Terpineol · Alstroemeria · Alumroot · Amarillys · Amazon Moonflower · Amethyst Flower

Did You Know?

Did you know?
Pikul flowers are so deeply embedded in Thai culture that the tree appears in the Ramakien (the Thai version of the Ramayana). In Thai traditional garland-making, pikul flowers are threaded one by one onto fine threads using a needle -- a single phuang malai garland can contain hundreds of individual blooms.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Not commercially extracted for international perfumery. Used in traditional Thai scented water preparations (nam ob). Fantasy accord for international use.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular FormulaN/A — olfactory concept
CAS NumberN/A — olfactory concept
Botanical NameMimusops elengi
IFRA StatusNo known restrictions
SynonymsPikul Blossom, Pikul Tree Flower
Physical Properties
Odor StrengthMedium
AppearanceN/A — olfactory concept

In Perfumery

Heart note in Thai-inspired, heavy-floral, and Southeast Asian compositions. Functions as an dense jasmine-adjacent floral with a rice-grain dimension. Traditionally used in Thai garlands and scented preparations. Built from jasmine materials, rice-grain accords, and heavy floral musks.

From the raw to the worn

This is what it becomes.