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Conifers are a group of vascular plants and a subset of gymnosperms. Many conifers have distinctly scented resin. Conifers are of great economic value for timber and paper production. All living conifers are woody plants, and most are trees with narrow, often needle-shaped leaves.

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Botany

Conifers produce their seeds inside a protective cone called a strobilus. In conifers such as pines, the cones are woody, and when mature the scales usually spread open. In firs and cedars, the cones disintegrate to release the seeds. Boreal conifers survive winter through a conical shape that sheds snow, strong tracheid vessels that tolerate ice pressure, and a waxy coating on the needles that limits water loss.

Scent Materials from Conifers

Pinene is a collection of unsaturated bicyclic monoterpenes. Two geometric isomers of pinene, α-pinene and β-pinene, are found in nature. Pinene is the major component of the liquid extracts of conifers. Alpha-pinene appears in conifers and numerous other plants.

Bornyl acetate is the acetate ester of the terpenoid borneol. Needle oils from Pinaceae species contain (-)-bornyl acetate as their main odoriferous component. Pine oil is a higher boiling fraction from turpentine. Both synthetic and natural pine oil consist mainly of α-terpineol, a C10 alcohol. Other components of pine oil include dipentene and pinene. The detailed composition of natural pine oil depends on many factors, such as the species of the host plant.

Uses of Conifers

The wood of Scots pine is used for pulp and sawn timber products. In Scandinavian countries, Scots pine was used for making tar in the preindustrial age. Scots pine has also been used as a source of rosin and turpentine. Scots pine is the only pine native to northern Europe. Pinenes, especially α, are the primary constituents of turpentine. Balsam fir is notably the most fragrant of all Christmas tree varieties. Norway spruce is esteemed by makers of stringed instruments as a source of tonewood and is commonly used for violins.