Terpinolene

What is terpinolene?

Terpinolene is a monoterpene, a ten-carbon terpene with the same formula as limonene and pinene but a different shape. It belongs to the terpinene family and is sometimes called delta-terpinene.

In cannabis it's a bit of a puzzle. Researchers who mapped the genes behind cannabis terpenes found it among the most abundant monoterpenes in the hemp they studied, yet they hadn't found the enzyme that makes it. Studies that sort strains by their terpenes often find a terpinolene-led group, though it tends to be the smallest of the groups.

What does terpinolene smell like?

Terpinolene smells fresh, piney and woody, with floral and light citrus notes on top. Some describe it as a bit like a fresh pine cone, others as herbal. Because it shows up in so many plants at low levels, most people have smelled it many times without knowing its name.

Where is terpinolene found besides cannabis?

Terpinolene is a common part of many essential oils. Its clean, fresh scent is why it's used in soaps, cleaning products, perfumes and insect repellents.

• Tea tree: a familiar source, and part of tea tree oil's sharp, fresh smell.
• Lilac: adds to the flower's fresh scent and turns up in lilac-scented products.
• Apples: present in small amounts in apple trees and fruit.
• Conifers: found in some pines and firs, which fits its piney side.
• Cumin: one of a few spices that carry it.

Does terpinolene change how a strain feels?

Terpinolene-led strains often get described as upbeat, which has led some writers to credit the terpene. The research doesn't support that kind of claim yet. Studies on terpenes changing how cannabis feels are early and mixed, and the "entourage effect", the idea that terpenes and cannabinoids work together, is still being tested.

People's reports are worth reading, but they aren't proof. A strain's THC and CBD levels, how much you have and your tolerance matter far more than any single terpene we can point to.

Terpinolene vs Ocimene

These two are often confused because both are lighter, less common monoterpenes that tend to play second fiddle in cannabis. Terpinolene smells fresh, piney and floral, with a hint of citrus, and it can lead a strain's profile. Ocimene leans sweeter and more herbal, with woody and citrus undertones, and it rarely takes the top spot. Terpinolene is known from tea tree and lilac, while ocimene is known from basil and hops. If a strain smells like a pine forest in spring, think terpinolene. If it smells sweet and green, think ocimene.

Finding terpinolene on a label

Some producers list a product's top terpenes on the package or in a certificate of analysis (COA), so check there. Terpinolene is easy to spot when it's the lead terpene, and it may still appear lower on the list in many other strains.

Strains like Jack Herer and Trainwreck are often linked with terpinolene, but terpene levels vary by grower and by batch. The test results for the product in your hand are more reliable than the strain name.