TERPENE

Terpenes are a class of aromatic organic compounds produced by thousands of plants. In cannabis, terpenes are the compounds responsible for strain-to-strain differences in smell, flavor, and felt character. The cannabis plant produces 100+ terpenes; the 8–10 most common ones drive the majority of strain aroma. The major cannabis terpenes include myrcene (earthy/mango/sedating), limonene (citrus/mood-lift), β-caryophyllene (peppery/gassy/binds CB2), α-pinene (fresh pine/clarity), linalool (lavender/calming), terpinolene (uplifting/rare), humulene (hoppy/appetite-moderating), and ocimene (sweet tropical). Terpenes have low boiling points (150–200°C typically), which is why low-temp dabbing (520–540°F quartz) preserves them better than high-temp (600°F+). Beyond cannabis, terpenes are ubiquitous — pine forests, lavender, lemon peels, black pepper, mangoes, hops, and rosemary all contain terpenes that also appear in cannabis. See our terpene library for profiles of the 8 major cannabis terpenes.