Milky-green, faintly sweet, with a latex-sap quality and herbaceous undertones. Less intense than jasmine, less green than galbanum, with a specific creamy-vegetal character from the milky sap. Understated and quiet — a background note rather than a protagonist. The overall impression is of a warm-climate vine, slightly medicinal, slightly sweet.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Faint milky-green, latex-sap quality
After a few hours
After a few hours
Warm herbaceous undertone, creamy
After a few days
After a few days
Barely perceptible — quiet green ghost
The Full Story
Silk vine (Periploca graeca), also known as milk broom, is a climbing plant native to southern Europe and western Asia. It belongs to the Asclepiadaceae (milkweed family), characterized by plants that exude milky latex sap when cut. The common names reference both the silky seed filaments and the milky sap.
The scent of Periploca flowers is subtle and somewhat unusual: a faintly sweet, milky-green quality with herbaceous undertones. The sap has a distinct latex-vegetal smell. Neither the flowers nor the sap are commercially extracted for perfumery — the note exists as a botanical reference point.
In fragrance, silk vine/milk broom is a niche conceptual note evoking the atmosphere of Mediterranean hillsides where the plant climbs over dry stone walls and ancient ruins. It suggests green-milky sap, warm stone, and wild herbal growth.
Periploca graeca was one of the plants used in ancient Greek medicine, primarily as a purgative and insecticide. The milky latex contains cardiac glycosides (periplocin) that are toxic in quantity — the plant was historically used as an arrow poison in some Mediterranean regions.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: No commercial essential oil or absolute from Periploca graeca exists. The plant's volatile compounds have not been commercially exploited for perfumery. The note is reconstructed from milky-green synthetics and herbaceous materials.
Molecular Formula
Complex mixture (no single formula)
CAS Number
91845-41-9 (Periploca graeca extract)
Botanical Name
Periploca graeca
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
Clematis, Sweet Autumn Clematis
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Lasting Power
6–12 hours
Appearance
Pale to amber liquid
In Perfumery
Silk vine is a conceptual note with no commercial extract. It is approximated using milky-green materials, lactonic musks, and faint herbaceous accords. Functions as an atmospheric modifier in Mediterranean, garden, and green compositions. The milky-sap quality makes it interesting paired with fig leaf (which shares the latex-sap character) and other Mediterranean botanical notes.
