Orange and Lemon Blossom
4 fragrances with this note
Part of accords: Citrus, Floral, White floral
- Latin name
- Citrus aurantium, Citrus limon
- Family
- Rue family (Rutaceae)
- Origin
- the Mediterranean; in perfume a citrus-floral accord
- Parts used
- blossoms of citrus trees
- Raw materials
- neroli, orange blossom absolute, floral molecules
- Extraction
- distillation and extraction (neroli, absolute); the accord — synthesis
- Olfactory group
- floral (citrus white flowers)
- Position in the pyramid
- heart
- Synthetic substitutes
- methyl anthranilate, linalool, nerolidol
Orange and lemon blossoms are the delicate white stars of citrus trees that fill Mediterranean gardens with a sweet scent in spring. In perfume they are usually combined into a single citrus-floral accord.
How it smells: fresh, tender and sunny: white flowers with honey, a light citrus tartness, the green freshness of leaves. Lemon blossom sounds fresher and greener, orange blossom warmer and more honeyed.
Citrus trees have a remarkable feature: the same branch can carry flowers, green fruitlets and ripe fruit at once. That is why their scent is associated with eternal spring and abundance.
What it pairs with: with bergamot and petitgrain — fresh colognes, with jasmine — sunny white bouquets, with musk — clean skin scents, with honey — warm spring compositions, with marine notes — “the Mediterranean coast”.
Good to know: in Spain citrus blossom is called azahar and in Sicily zagara: both words come from the Arabic “az-zahr”, flower.
