Rare and Little-Known Flowers in Perfumery: Hidden Treasures

1. “Silent” Flowers (Reconstitution Only)

Reseda (Mignonette)

Biennial plant with clusters decorated with small star-shaped flowers, it blooms in summer and grows very quickly.

Olfactory description: its perfume is rather nocturnal, sweet, fresh, rosy, with green accents, the perfume is no longer used in perfumery: too low yield, therefore exists only in reproduction. Spreads around it a light cloud of honey, lily of the valley, and narcissus.

Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)

Origin: tree native to South Africa and China, height of 3 m to 5 m, blooms in summer and attracts thousands of butterflies. Its fragrant flowering is adorned with a palette of violet-blue and sometimes red.

Olfactory description: sweet and round perfume, its fragrance resembles that of lilac but more honeyed, with a hint of carnation note, exists only in reproduction, present in the perfume: Champs Elysées.

Wallflower (Giroflée)

Origin: perennial plant, evergreen foliage with velvety flowers, yellow-orange or purple tones, sometimes blue and violet, it reseeds itself at the mercy of the wind. Flowering: May, June.

Olfactory description: very spicy perfume carnation with accents of vanilla, musky, exists only in reproduction. I discovered wallflowers in Brittany, on the island of Ouessant: a delight.

Privet (Troène)

Origin: it is practically the only flower found in the city; it is native to Europe and Asia. There are about fifty species, most are deciduous, bushes that make up hedges and have rapid growth. Flowering: May, June or September, October.

Olfactory description: either you love the smell or you hate it, I am one of those who love it, for me it smells of fresh and pure air, with very green and honeyed accents, even powdery, exists only in reproduction.

Mock Orange (Seringat / Jasmine of Poets)

Deciduous tree with white flowers. Flowering: May, June.

Olfactory description: delicious smell of lilac, orange blossom, slightly aniseed, some strawberry accents; exists only in reproduction. Flower that will be at the center of the next Aqua Allegoria: Flora Nymphea.

2. Natural Flowers (Extraction Possible)

Champaca

Michelia Champaca is a very fragrant white flower highly prized by Hindus who consider it a sacred flower. In India, many flowers are given as offerings to God and Champaca occupies a choice place among them.

Champaca is the flower of a tree that can reach 8 to 10m in height. The flower is orange-yellow, red, or white in color and develops powerful and fine scents of white flower.

Origin and Harvest: it is produced in India in the regions of Mysore and Bangalore. There are 2 harvest seasons: one in March-April and one in October-November. Flowers are picked in the early hours of the morning.

Processing: the flower is treated by volatile solvent extraction, which allows obtaining a concrete which washed with alcohol will give the absolute. Yields are relatively low.

Olfactory description: very amber white flower, hay, dewy and honeyed, ylang-ylang effect, heady jasmine, spicy and animal in base notes. This absolute is notably used in: Luxe / Champaca by Comme Des Garçons.

Cassie

Cassie is extracted from flowers coming from Acacia farnesiana. Cassie is therefore a cousin of mimosa.

Origin and Harvest: this small tree native to India is cultivated around the Mediterranean, mainly in Egypt and in semi-tropical regions. The tree provides flowers after 6 years of cultivation. The harvest takes place from October to November by “shaking” the branches to make the flowers fall.

Processing: extraction of the flower with volatile solvents allows obtaining a concrete which itself allows obtaining an absolute. 250 kg of flowers gives 1 kg of concrete and 0.450 kg of absolute. Cassie flower is rare and rather reserved for fine perfumery.

Olfactory description: floral (rose, narcissus, ylang-ylang), herbaceous, powdery, spicy, woody, balsamic, honeyed, aniseed, and leathery. Cassie blends very well with iris, mimosa, violet notes. Used in Après l’Ondée by Guerlain or Une Fleur de Cassie by Frédéric Malle.

Narcissus

History and Legend: from the Amaryllidaceae family, narcissus has been known since Antiquity for medicinal use. In Greek mythology, Narcissus, proud of his beauty, paid no attention to the young nymphs who adored him.

One of them, Echo, wounded by his coldness, disappeared gradually until only her voice was perceptible. The gods, angry, condemned Narcissus to fall in love with his reflection in the clear water of a pool. At his death, he was changed into a flower, the narcissus.

Origins: The narcissus used to produce narcissus absolute is Narcissus Poeticus (Poet’s Narcissus). It is found in the wild in the Mediterranean mountains, but the most important production is now located in Auvergne (France). Its unique white flower is edged with bright red.

Harvest and Processing: spring after the daffodil. Gatherers pick the flower heads with special combs, kind of large rakes. 3 tons of flowers gives 1kg of absolute. Main supplier: LMR/IFF.

Olfactory description: strong, earthy, aromatic smell like hay. The scent of narcissus absolute reminds a lot of the flower itself, but it contains a greener note, due to the fact that the stem is also treated during solvent extraction. Fleur de Narcisse by L’Artisan Parfumeur (2006) Anne Flipo.