Linden blossom

What it brings

A soothing, honeyed green sweetness.

Origins and uses

Linden trees, of the genus Tilia, are large trees of Europe, Asia and North America, with heart-shaped leaves. In June and July, they are covered with small fragrant flowers, grouped beneath a yellowish bract, which attract bees and give a pale honey. Dried, these flowers make a very popular infusion, appreciated for its taste and soothing effect. A symbol of love and fidelity, the linden was also the tree of village gatherings, and many were planted in France as trees of liberty during the Revolution.

Linden flowers are used in perfumery; their scent owes much to farnesol, identified in 1923 by the chemist Leopold Ružička. The note, most often recreated, is floral, honeyed and slightly green.

In our catalogue, linden blossom opens Frangipani by Ormonde Jayne, with magnolia and lime, and accompanies jasmine and orange blossom in La Chasse aux Papillons by L'Artisan Parfumeur.