What are cannabis terpenes?
Cannabis terpenes are the aromatic compounds behind the plant's smell. A review on PubMed Central calls terpenes the primary constituents of essential oils, responsible for the aroma characteristics of cannabis. On a female cannabis flower they sit in the trichomes, the same structures that hold the cannabinoids. The terpene values on a live menu listing show them.
Why a strain name is not a scent report
Terpenes are the main components of essential oils and the source of cannabis aroma, as a review of cannabis plant chemistry on PubMed Central explains. The listings show terpene values, the compounds behind that aroma. On October 7, 2026, terpene values showed on 98 of the 100 sampled Derby flower listings and on all 56 Hartford flower listings.
The indica, sativa and hybrid labels are a separate question, and our breakdown of indica vs sativa vs hybrid covers them.
Where terpenes live in the plant
On a female cannabis flower, terpenes are found in the trichomes, the same structures that hold the cannabinoids. Chemically, they are hydrocarbons made of small isoprene units linked to one another in chains. Myrcene and limonene are monoterpenes, while caryophyllene and humulene are sesquiterpenes. If a term on a package is new to you, our cannabis glossary defines more of the words you will run into.
Six common cannabis terpenes and where else they turn up
Every aroma and source in the table comes from that terpene's PubChem compound record, such as PubChem's entry for limonene. Where a row gives a second aroma, marked Molecules review, it comes from a review in the journal Molecules.
| Terpene | What it smells like | Where else it turns up |
|---|---|---|
| Myrcene | A sweet balsamic aroma (PubChem), or musky, earthy and fruity (Molecules review) | Oil of bay, verbena, hops and lemon grass |
| Limonene | Pleasant and lemon-like | Orange, lemon and grapefruit oils, and a major component of the oil extracted from citrus rind |
| Beta-caryophyllene | Midway between cloves and turpentine (PubChem), or peppery like black pepper and cloves (Molecules review) | Many essential oils, particularly oil of cloves |
| Linalool | Similar to bergamot oil and French lavender | Lavender, bergamot, rosewood and coriander oils, and fruits including apples, citrus and grapes |
| Alpha-pinene | A characteristic odor of pine | More than 400 essential oils |
| Terpinolene | A sweet, pine odor (PubChem), or a complex blend of floral, herbal and citrus notes (Molecules review) | Tea tree oils, and citrus oils from bergamot, mandarin, sweet orange and tangerine |
If you know hops from beer, two of these, plus humulene, will sound familiar. Hop essential oils usually have myrcene, humulene and caryophyllene as their three main components, and humulene has an earthy, woody aroma.
Reading the terpene values on a live menu listing
- Pick the store you plan to shop: the Derby live menu or the Hartford live menu.
- Open the listing for a flower product you are curious about.
- Find its terpene values. If any of the six names above appear, the table tells you what they smell like.
- Compare the terpene values on two or three listings before you choose.
On our flower aisle page, the product list shows live items from the menu of the store you have selected, with a switch to the other store. If you want to talk through a listing before you order, call us at 860-420-BUDS (2837) or stop by our Derby store or our Hartford store.
If you are shopping extracts instead of flower
The terpene counts above cover flower listings only. If you are comparing extracts, our guide to live resin vs rosin vs distillate explains how the three are made.
Questions shoppers ask about terpenes
What is the difference between terpenes and terpenoids?
Terpenoids are oxygen-containing terpenes, so the two names describe closely related compounds. Linalool is an example: PubChem describes it as a monoterpenoid and a tertiary alcohol. Both groups belong to the aromatic family this page covers, and the table above lists linalool beside five other common ones.
Where in the cannabis plant are terpenes found?
Terpenes are found in the trichomes of a female cannabis flower, the same structures that hold the cannabinoids. One review says the highest concentrations of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids are found in the glandular trichomes of female flowers. The section above on where terpenes live in the plant covers the chemistry in more detail.
Do your live menus show terpene values?
On October 7, 2026, terpene values showed on 98 of the 100 sampled Derby flower listings and on all 56 Hartford flower listings. That count covers flower only and is a snapshot, since the menus change through the day. Open the listing for the product in front of you on the Derby or Hartford live menu to see its own values.
What does myrcene smell like?
PubChem describes myrcene as a liquid with a sweet balsamic aroma, while a 2025 review in Molecules describes a musky, earthy and fruity fragrance. PubChem says beta-myrcene is found in oil of bay, verbena, hops and other natural sources. Both are descriptions of smell, and the table above puts the other five terpenes beside it.
Are limonene and pinene found only in cannabis?
No. PubChem says limonene is found in orange, lemon and grapefruit oils among others, and that alpha-pinene has been reported in more than 400 essential oils. Terpenes turn up across many plants, which is why the table above lists where else each one appears next to what it smells like.
What do linalool and terpinolene smell like?
PubChem describes the odor of linalool as similar to bergamot oil and French lavender. For terpinolene, PubChem lists a sweet, pine odor, while a 2025 review in Molecules describes a complex blend of floral, herbal and citrus notes. PubChem also says linalool is a constituent of lavender, bergamot, rosewood and coriander oils.
