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Wild Carrot

Q: Is Wild Carrot natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation of dried seeds (primary) or roots. Seed oil is preferred for perfumery. Yields approximately 1-2% from dried seed material..

GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES / floral · green · fresh

Wild Carrot

Category	GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES
Subcategory	floral · green · fresh
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Daucus carota
Appearance	yellow amber liquid
Producing Countries	Egypt, France, Hungary, India
Pyramid	Heart

Dry, rooty, iris-adjacent earthiness with a faint sweetness. The seed oil smells like old carrots left in damp soil, with a subtle violet-leaf character.

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

Scent

Dry, earthy, root-like with a faint violet-ionone sweetness. Less green than carrot leaf, more mineral. similar to of iris root but without the powdery lipstick quality. Closer to vetiver than to carrot juice.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Fresh herbaceous opening with a distinct root-earth character

After a few hours

Dry violet-ionone sweetness emerges, iris-like

After a few days

Faint woody-earthy residue, subtle and persistent

Terroir & Transformation

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Wild carrot (Daucus carota), also called Queen Anne's lace, yields an essential oil from its seeds that is earthy, dry, and subtly sweet. The scent sits between root vegetables and iris: a distinct violet-ionone character alongside a damp, soil-like undertone. The oil contains carotol (up to 40-70%), daucol, and traces of geraniol.

The plant grows wild across Europe and Western Asia, thriving in poor soils and roadsides. The essential oil is steam-distilled from dried seeds. Yields are modest but the oil is not expensive.

In perfumery, wild carrot oil is a fixative and modifier. Its dry, earthy, slightly woody character anchors compositions without adding heaviness. Natural affinity with iris and violet notes, orris accords, and dry woods.

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

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Related: Acronychia Pedunculata · Adoxal · Agave · Algae · Aloe Vera · Aromatic Notes · Asparagus · Avocado

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Carotol, the dominant molecule in wild carrot seed oil, is also found in some iris varieties. This molecular overlap explains why the two materials share an unexpected olfactory kinship despite coming from completely unrelated plant families.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of dried seeds (primary) or roots. Seed oil is preferred for perfumery. Yields approximately 1-2% from dried seed material.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture; key component: carotol (C₁₅H₂₆O, ~40–70%)
CAS Number	8015-88-1
Botanical Name	Daucus carota
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	QUEEN ANNE'S LACE · WILD CARROT FLOWER
Physical Properties
Appearance	yellow amber liquid

In Perfumery

Fixative and earthy modifier, typically functioning from heart to base. Rich in carotol (40-70%). Natural partner for iris and orris accords. Useful in chypres, earthy florals, and terroir-themed compositions.