What does marigold (tagetes) smell like in perfume? Tagetes smells green, fruity and apple-like, with a softly bitter, herbal edge. A small touch adds a sunny, fruity brightness to the heart of a fragrance.
| Botanical name | Tagetes minuta |
|---|---|
| Plant part | Flowering tops |
| Origin | South Africa, India and Egypt |
| Extraction | CO2 extract and steam distillation |
| Note | Heart |
| Scent family | Florals |
| Odour | Green, fruity and apple-like, with a softly bitter, herbal edge |
| Perfume uses | Fruity florals, chypres and green blends |
| Key molecules | Tagetones, ocimene, dihydrotagetone |
| Odour impact | Very high |
| Odour life on a strip | Medium: most of a day |
| Found in | Neroli Nuance |
Used within IFRA limits. Impact and odour life are our own studio guide, judged on a smelling strip.
What Is Marigold?
Perfumery tagetes comes from Tagetes minuta, a tall marigold originally from South America and now grown in South Africa and India. Its oil is very powerful and is used in tiny amounts. It is different from the calendula, or pot marigold, used in skincare.
What Does Marigold Smell Like?
Here is how strongly each facet of marigold comes through, from our own smelling-strip notes.
Fruity
A green-apple brightness.
Green
Crushed stems and leaves.
Herbal
A sharp, aromatic note.
Bitter
A slightly bitter edge.
How Perfumers Use Marigold
Perfumers use tagetes to add a fruity, green lift to florals and citrus. It pairs well with orange blossom, jasmine and citrus, bringing a natural, sunlit fruitiness.
A powerful material
Tagetes is so intense that it is used at very low levels, and IFRA restricts it because it can make skin sensitive to sunlight. Used with care, it gives a unique, natural fruitiness.
Smell Marigold in Prosody London Perfumes
For marigold at its most expressive, try Neroli Nuance. Marigold CO2 adds a sunny, fruity brightness to the heart with jasmine sambac and orange blossom.
Neroli NuanceWhat Blends Well With Marigold?
Questions About Marigold
Is tagetes the same as calendula?
No. Tagetes is a different marigold with a much stronger, fruity-green scent.
Is tagetes safe in perfume?
Yes, within IFRA limits.
What pairs with tagetes?
Orange blossom, jasmine, citrus and green notes.
Explore all of our natural perfume ingredients.
