Note · Green notes

Rhubarb

Photo: Hans (new tab) / Pixabay (new tab)

Rhubarb is rendered as a green, tangy, slightly piquant note recalling the crisp stalk and red fruit.

What it brings

A green, sparkling tartness.

Origins and uses

Rhubarb belongs to the genus Rheum, some fifty species of perennial plants in the Polygonaceae family; garden rhubarb is Rheum rhabarbarum. A related species, Rheum officinale, was long known as a medicinal plant in China and reached Europe along the Silk Road. Its leaf stalks, the rhubarb "sticks", are eaten in tarts, compotes or jams; their acidity needs to be softened with sugar, and the leaves are toxic.

In perfumery, rhubarb is a note recreated by the perfumer. It brings a green, tangy, slightly sharp freshness reminiscent of the crisp stalk and red berries, and sits mostly at the top, with citrus and fruit.

In our catalogue, it opens Delina by Parfums de Marly, with lychee and bergamot, and lends its freshness to Pluie sur Ha Long by Ella K Parfums, with pear and lotus flower.

Text written with the help of AI, based on reference sources: encyclopedias, raw-material manufacturers and official information from the fragrance houses.

Material profile