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Siam Cardamom

Q: Is Siam Cardamom natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation of dried seed pods. Yield approximately 2-5% essential oil. The pods are typically sun-dried before distillation. Wild-harvested in highland forests of Cambodia and Thailand; some plantation cultivation exists in Vietnam..

SPICES / spicy · warm · citrus

Siam Cardamom

Category	SPICES
Subcategory	spicy · warm · citrus
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Wurfbainia vera
Appearance	colorless to pale yellow liquid
Odor Strength	High
Producing Countries	Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
Pyramid	Heart

Camphoraceous, eucalyptus-laced cardamom — greener and more medicinal than its Indian cousin. Siam cardamom smells like opening a traditional Thai apothecary.

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

Scent

Camphoraceous and eucalyptus-forward, with a dry, papery spice underneath. Less sweet and less clean than green cardamom. The 1,8-cineole dominance gives it a medicinal, almost balsamic edge — like chewing a cardamom pod in a eucalyptus grove. Faintly woody finish.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Camphoraceous eucalyptus blast, sharp spice, medicinal

After a few hours

Dry papery spice, less cineole, warmer undertones

After a few days

Faint woody-spice residue, cardboard-like dryness

Terroir & Chemotypes

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Siam cardamom (Amomum krervanh, syn. Amomum testaceum) is a Southeast Asian relative of true cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), native to Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Its volatile profile is dominated by 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) rather than the alpha-terpinyl acetate that characterizes green cardamom, giving it a sharply camphoraceous, medicinal quality.

The pods are larger and rounder than green cardamom, with a tougher, woodier husk. They are harvested in highland forests, particularly in Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains — the range that gave the spice its Western name.

In perfumery, Siam cardamom offers an alternative to conventional cardamom that is less sweet and more herbaceous. The 1,8-cineole content makes it naturally bracing — closer to eucalyptus crossed with cardboard than to the warm, sweet spice of chai. It is used sparingly in aromatic fougères, herbal compositions, and unconventional ambers seeking a Southeast Asian terroir.

This note in Première Peau. Insuline Safrine · Gravitas Capitale. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Cardamom · Curcuma Turmeric · Ginger

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains — the largest intact rainforest in mainland Southeast Asia — derive their name from the wild Siam cardamom that has been harvested there for over a millennium.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of dried seed pods. Yield approximately 2-5% essential oil. The pods are typically sun-dried before distillation. Wild-harvested in highland forests of Cambodia and Thailand; some plantation cultivation exists in Vietnam.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture — key components: 1,8-Cineole (C₁₀H₁₈O), alpha-Terpinyl acetate (C₁₂H₂₀O₂)
CAS Number	85940-32-5
Botanical Name	Wurfbainia vera
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Thai cardamom, Greater cardamom, Green cardamom
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	High
Appearance	colorless to pale yellow liquid
Specific Gravity	0.920–0.950 @ 25°C
Refractive Index	1.460–1.470 @ 20°C

In Perfumery

Siam cardamom is a top-to-heart note modifier in aromatic and spicy compositions. Its high 1,8-cineole content distinguishes it from green cardamom (which is alpha-terpinyl acetate dominant), providing a bracing, camphoraceous freshness rather than warm sweetness. Used in herbal fougères, forest accords, and Southeast Asian-inflected ambers. Functions as a bridge between eucalyptus-type freshness and spice warmth. Dosage must be controlled — overuse makes compositions smell medicinal.