What Does Gardenia Smell Like?
When it comes to white floral fragrances, a common question is, "what does gardenia smell like?" There are over 200 types of gardenia, but Tahitian gardenia is the most popular variety for fragrances. The scent profile of gardenia is creamy, earthy, fresh and sweet. Learn more about the sources and inspirations for gardenia fragrances, similar scents and complementary accords. Spreading the bouquet of gardenia throughout your home or any other space is as simple as lighting a candle that features this alluring fragrance.
What Does Gardenia Smell Like?
Two aromatic compounds contribute to the scent of gardenia flowers. Linalool, a naturally occurring terpene alcohol, is frequently used to impart floral scents to fragrances and scented products. Methyl benzoate has creamy, fruity and sweet characteristics, giving gardenia some of its most distinctive scent characteristics. This aspect of the scent of gardenia can be compared to coconut and peach.
Indole is another aroma molecule present in gardenia and similar white flowers. This natural chemical has a pungent earthiness. Some fragrance producers reduce the indolic properties of gardenia to enhance the creamy sweetness of this note. Gardenia shares indolic properties with jasmine, neroli, orange blossom and tuberose.
The short answer to the question, "what does gardenia smell like?" is sultry and sweet. Gardenia has a heavier fragrance than some other white florals. The scent characteristics of these blooms can be described as soft, green and spicy. The complexity of gardenia scent often leads to prominent placement as a top note in fragrance blends with other white flowers, citrus fruits and spices.
What Type of Flower Is a Gardenia?
Gardenia flowers grow on evergreen shrubs. Many types of gardenia have solitary blooms or small clusters of blossoms. Gardenia flowers are usually white or pale yellow and often become more yellow over time. This color change is directly related to the gardenia scent and occurs as droplets of secreted resin that contain aromatic compounds accumulate on the floral buds.
One of the most notable characteristics of gardenia is that these flowers tend to become more fragrant at night. Gardenia is not a night-blooming flower like tuberose, which is commonly included in blends of white floral fragrances. The scent of gardenia peaks overnight as an evolutionary measure to make the blossoms more appealing to nocturnal pollinators.
Gardenia blooms also give off fleeting bursts of scent during the day. The signature smell of gardenia is possibly most recognizable in a garden or greenhouse where Common gardenia, also known as Cape Jasmine, or Tahitian gardenia is growing. The creamy, fresh and fruity characteristics of the fragrance of these flowers are distinct from other white florals.
What Is the History of Gardenia Scent?
The earliest evidence of the cultivation of Common Gardenia dates back to the Song Dynasty in China. These flowers were prized for their appearance and fragrance. They appear on lacquerware from the Yuan Dynasty and porcelain from the Ming Dynasty. Gardenia, or "zhi-zi," is also used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Gardenia flowers and fruits are known to stimulate circulation and can have a cooling effect. The scent of gardenia blossoms is also used in aromatherapy. People often want to know about the potential benefits of gardenia scent as a follow-up to their questions about the way it smells. This white floral fragrance is said to boost mood while reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Steam distillation of gardenia blossoms does not capture the scent. In the past, a process called enfleurage, which involved animal fats and alcohol, was used to extract gardenia fragrance into solid perfume. Modern extraction methods use volatile solvents to make concrete or solid fragrance or treatment with alcohol to produce absolute.
What Scent Accords Complement Gardenia?
Gardenia blossoms are known for having a strong scent, particularly at night. This note stands out in fragrance blends but mixes well with other white florals. Gardenia also adds intriguingly creamy, floral and ripe fruit dimensions to accords with citrus notes. The tendency to pair gardenia with the scents of other white flowers often leads to the question, "what does gardenia smell like?"
This white floral has uniquely creamy, spicy and sweet characteristics. Accords that unite gardenia with jasmine and night-blooming tuberose draw forth the green and peachy dimensions of this fragrance note. POET in Hangzhou presents gardenia in the context of its original cultivation in China.
The fruity characteristics of gardenia stand out in REBEL in Bahia. Top notes of neroli, gardenia, bergamot and tangerine accentuate the distinctive properties of gardenia. Middle notes of orange blossom, jasmine and magnolia contribute complexity to this white floral bouquet. Base notes of tuberose, lily of the valley and incense add depth to the accord.
What Does the Scent of Gardenia Evoke?
If you're wondering what gardenia smells like, you may be looking to select a suitable fragrance for a particular space. When gardenia is paired with notes of bamboo and white flowers, this fragrance blend evokes a water garden and can have a soothing effect.
When gardenia is united with other floral and citrus scents, the creamy, soft and peachy dimensions of these flowers can be more pronounced. Fragrance notes such as neroli, which is derived from orange tree blossoms, and orange blossom are particularly appealing in combination with gardenia.
Neroli is steam distilled and shares some spicy and green characteristics with gardenia. This note has more bitter dimensions than orange blossom or gardenia. Orange blossom oil is extracted with volatile solvents like gardenia and evokes jasmine with fruit-like and indolic properties that enhance complementary aspects of the scent of gardenia.
Luxurious Gardenia-Scented Candles
Candles can capture the unique properties of gardenia flowers. POET in Hangzhou presents a bouquet of white flowers with an accord of gardenia, tuberose and jasmine. The sweet and fruity dimensions of gardenia emerge in a blend with bergamot and orange blossom in REBEL in Bahia. Lighting a scented candle from Nomad Noé is one of the best ways to experience this lovely scent and answer the question, "what does gardenia actually smell like?"
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