What Are Terpenes? How They Shape Your Cannabis Experience

## The Short Answer Terpenes are aromatic compounds produced by plants, including but not exclusive to cannabis, that give each strain its distinct smell and flavor. In cannabis, terpenes also appear to shape the subjective experience of a strain in ways that cannabinoid content alone doesn't explain. For adults 21 and older, the terpene profile on a product label is one of the more useful indicators of what a strain will feel like. ## What Terpenes Are Terpenes are organic compounds produced by most plants. Pine trees produce pinene; lavender produces linalool; citrus produces limonene. Cannabis produces a complex mix of terpenes in its trichomes (the resinous structures that also contain cannabinoids). More than 150 terpenes have been identified in cannabis, though only a handful typically dominate any given strain. ## How Terpenes Shape the Experience Strains with the same THC percent can feel quite different. Part of this variation comes from cannabinoid content beyond THC (CBD, CBG, CBN, CBC); part comes from terpenes. Some terpenes are associated in research and consumer tradition with specific effects, myrcene with sedation, limonene with mood elevation, linalool with calm. Whether these associations hold up as consistent clinical effects is a question the research is working on. ## The Most Common Cannabis Terpenes **Myrcene.** Earthy, musky. Dominant in many indica-classified strains. **Limonene.** Citrus. Dominant in strains often marketed as uplifting. **Linalool.** Floral, lavender-like. Associated with calming effects in folk use. **Caryophyllene.** Peppery, spicy. The only cannabis terpene known to bind CB2 receptors directly. **Pinene.** Pine. Some consumers describe clearer-head effects. **Humulene.** Hoppy, earthy. Present in many cannabis strains and in hops. **Terpinolene.** Fruity, floral, complex. Found in many hybrid strains. ## Reading a Terpene Label Premium products list their dominant terpenes. A typical label shows: - Top 3 to 5 terpenes by percentage. - Total terpene content (usually 1 to 4 percent of dry weight). A strain with 2 percent total terpenes has more aromatic character than one with 0.5 percent. ## The Entourage Effect The hypothesis that cannabinoids and terpenes work better together than isolated, see [the entourage effect](/blog/the-entourage-effect-why-whole-plant-cannabis-may-work-better). Research supports aspects of this hypothesis; other aspects remain under study. ## Where to Go Next Related reading: [the entourage effect](/blog/the-entourage-effect-why-whole-plant-cannabis-may-work-better), [myrcene limonene linalool, a guide to the most common terpenes](/blog/myrcene-limonene-linalool-a-guide-to-the-most-common-terpenes), and [what are cannabinoids](/blog/what-are-cannabinoids-a-deep-dive-into-thc-cbd-cbn-cbg-and-more). --- *This article is consumer education for adults 21+. Nothing here is medical, legal, or financial advice. Cannabis laws vary by state, always verify your state's current rules and, for health questions, consult a licensed clinician. For regulated New York retail, verify licensing via the OCM QR-code system at [cannabis.ny.gov](https://cannabis.ny.gov).*