- Latin name
- Magnolia champaca (Michelia champaca)
- Family
- Magnolia family (Magnoliaceae)
- Origin
- India, Indonesia
- Parts used
- flowers
- Raw materials
- champaca absolute
- Extraction
- solvent extraction
- Olfactory group
- floral (white flowers)
- Position in the pyramid
- heart
- Synthetic substitutes
- floral bases, linalool, benzyl benzoate
Champaca is a tropical tree of the magnolia family with fragrant golden-orange flowers. In India it is considered sacred: champaca flowers are woven into garlands, offered in temples and worn in brides' hair.
How it smells: lush, sweet and warm: dense flowers, an apricot and tea-like shade, honey, a faintly spicy and powdery note. Champaca sounds luxurious, sunny and very oriental.
Champaca absolute is one of the most expensive floral materials: the flowers are small and yield little. Its scent combines the warmth of magnolia with fruitiness, which is why champaca is often called the “golden magnolia”.
What it pairs with: with jasmine and tuberose — lush white-floral compositions, with osmanthus — apricot-floral fragrances, with sandalwood — a creamy “Indian” base, with vanilla and benzoin — warm amber florals, with saffron — a luxurious spiced flower.
Good to know: in Southeast Asia champaca flowers are placed in water for ablutions and used to decorate ritual offerings — as a symbol of purity and good luck.
