All Terpenes

Alpha Pinene

Alpha-pinene is the most common terpene in nature, a monoterpene with a fresh, woody pine aroma and camphor undertones. It is produced by pine trees, rosemary, and more than 400 other plants, and it is a core building block in many of our pine-forward terpene blends.

Citrus Weedy

Alpha-pinene, also denoted as α-pinene and often called simply pinene, is not merely abundant within the plant kingdom, but is the most common terpene on earth. Alpha pinene is the isomer to beta-pinene, a minor terpene that is typically produced in significantly lower quantities by cannabis plants (described below).

The aroma of alpha pinene is fragrant and raw, with an earthy, fresh, and musky body that features a distinct undertone of pine. This major terpene is produced by hundreds of plant species in nature (more than 400, actually).

Sources of alpha pinene include:

  • basil
  • cannabis
  • eucalyptus
  • frankincense
  • oranges
  • parsley
  • rosemary
  • sage
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Alpha Pinene
Chemical Structure
At a glance
woodysweetherbalpinecamphoreousfresh
CAS number
7785-26-4
Formula
C10H16
Molecular weight
136.23 g/mol
Boiling point
156 °C
Flash point
33 °C
FEMA number
2902
PubChem
CID 440968

catalog grade is (−)-α-pinene; PubChem/Wikipedia parent entry uses 80-56-8 (also in our catalog as PINENE ALPHA)

Common questions

What does alpha-pinene smell like?

Fresh pine with woody, herbal, and lightly camphorous notes. It is the scent most people associate with a conifer forest.

Where does alpha-pinene come from?

It is distilled primarily from pine resin and turpentine fractions. It also occurs naturally in rosemary, frankincense, and eucalyptus.

Related terpenes

Beta Pinene · woody, herbal, sweet Alpha Terpineol · woody, citrus, herbal
Smell it at the source

This terpene occurs naturally in these botanical oils, available from our sister store, The Essential Oil Company.

Frankincense essential oil Frankincense Rosemary Spanish essential oil Rosemary Spanish Douglas Fir essential oil Douglas Fir
References: PubChem CID 440968 · FEMA flavor ingredient #2902

Products with Alpha Pinene listed as a primary terpene:

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