Terpenes in cannabis: taste, aroma & effect
Terpenes in cannabis – Terpenes give cannabis its aroma and taste. However, terpenes also have an influence on diseases. A total of over 150 different terpenes have been identified in the cannabis plant. Of these, around 20-30 terpenes occur regularly in relevant quantities and have potential medicinal effects.
Terpene effect simply explained
Terpenes are natural aromatic substances that occur in plants – especially cannabis. They not only influence the smell of a strain, but also have a variety of medicinal properties. Many terpenes have an anti-inflammatory, calming, pain-relieving or mood-enhancing effect. In fact, the myth of the difference between sativa, indica and hybrid is true. The real effect comes from the terpenes in combination with the cannabinoids (THC, CBD, etc.)
Top 10 by terpene analysis from 1,918 cannabis strains. You can find more terpenes in the terpene table below.
Most common terpenes
Here are the top 30 terpenes with their characteristic aromas and their relative occurrence in the analyzed varieties. You can also find the list of terpenes & aroma here.
Analysis: Frequency of terpenes
Terpenes in cannabis are the primary scents and flavors that are not only responsible for the characteristic smell, but also act synergistically with cannabinoids. They influence the taste and aroma of cannabis flowers and contribute significantly to the so-called “entourage effect“. In our analysis of 1,918 varieties, we identified the dominant terpenes and sorted them according to frequency.
Did you know? Over 8,000 terpenes are known in nature, of which around 120 are regularly found in cannabis. These secondary plant substances fulfill important ecological functions in the plant – for example as protection against pests or as signal substances for pollinators. For consumers, however, they are particularly interesting because they influence sensory perception, subjective experience and even possible pharmacological effects.
Terpene by proportion
Dominant (typically 3-5) of 1918 varieties.
Terpenes of the cannabis flower
Terpenes can be found on the flower of the cannabis plant. There are (illustrated here for you):
- Pestles – small threads
- Trichomes – small balls
- Terpenes – are inside the small spheres
Table: Terpene aromas
Did you know? Every cannabis strain has its own aroma profile! What’s the easiest way to compare the aroma? Here you can find the terpenes in other plants:
- Myrcene: mango, hops, lemongrass, thyme
- Humulene: Hops, basil, coriander
- Lime: Citrus fruits, juniper, peppermint
- Beta-caryophyllene: Black pepper, cinnamon, oregano
- Terpinolene: Apple, lilac, tea tree, caraway
- Linalool: Lavender, basil, coriander
- Alpha-pinene: pine needles, rosemary, juniper
- Geraniol: rose, peach, blueberry, tobacco
- Eucalyptol: eucalyptus, laurel, rosemary
- Delta-3-Carene: Rosemary, cedarwood, paprika
- Camphor: camphor tree, ginger, cypress
- Ocimen: mint, basil, orchids
- Farneses: Apples, ginger, turmeric
- Bisabolol: Camomile, Candeia tree
- Valences: oranges, grapefruit
- Nerolidol: tea, jasmine, ginger
- Phytol: green tea, chlorophyll
- Sabines: black pepper, juniper, oak
- Camphene: Pine, fir, camphor
- Borneol: Rosemary, mint, camphor tree
- Cedars: cedar, juniper
- Isopulegol: Lemon balm, peppermint, lemongrass
