Terpenes Guide: What Gives Cannabis Its Aroma
This page is general information for adults 21 and older about legal adult-use cannabis in New York. It is not medical advice and does not claim that cannabis or any terpene treats, cures, or prevents any condition. Talk to a licensed healthcare provider about your health.
For use only by persons 21 years of age and older. Keep out of reach of children and pets. If someone accidentally consumes cannabis, contact the Poison Center. Consume responsibly. Cannabis can impair concentration and coordination. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of cannabis.
Citrus, pine, black pepper: the aromas you read about on a cannabis label come mostly from terpenes. This guide explains what terpenes are, which ones are commonly reported on New York lab results, how a terpene profile is presented under New York rules, and how to use that information when you shop at our Flushing dispensary.
What terpenes are
Terpenes are aromatic compounds made by many plants, not just cannabis. They are why a lemon peel smells like lemon and lavender smells like lavender. Cannabis produces them in the same resin glands (trichomes) that make cannabinoids such as THC and CBD.
Terpenes are not cannabinoids. THC and CBD are what New York labels report as potency. Terpenes are reported separately, usually as a small percentage of the product's weight; in flower, total terpene content is often only a few percent. Even so, terpenes account for most of what you smell and taste.
Eight terpenes commonly reported in cannabis
Cannabis contains many terpenes, and a handful tend to dominate a given cultivar. Below are eight that are commonly reported, what they smell like, and where else they occur in nature. We list aroma only: New York rules do not allow health, wellness, or therapeutic claims about cannabis or any terpene, and research on how individual terpenes affect people is limited.
| Terpene | Aroma descriptors | Also found in |
|---|---|---|
| Myrcene | Earthy, musky, ripe fruit, a hint of clove | Mango, hops, lemongrass, thyme |
| Limonene | Bright citrus, lemon and orange peel | Citrus rinds, juniper, peppermint |
| Caryophyllene | Peppery, spicy, woody | Black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, oregano |
| Pinene | Fresh pine, rosemary, sharp and green | Pine needles, rosemary, basil, dill |
| Linalool | Floral, lavender, light spice | Lavender, coriander, birch bark |
| Terpinolene | Piney, floral, herbal, slightly citrus | Lilac, nutmeg, cumin, apples, tea tree |
| Humulene | Earthy, woody, hoppy | Hops, sage, ginseng, coriander |
| Ocimene | Sweet, herbal, green, tropical | Mint, parsley, basil, orchids, mango |
How New York labels and COAs handle terpenes
New York requires every lot of adult-use cannabis to be lab tested under 9 NYCRR Part 130, and the testing panel includes terpenes alongside cannabinoids and contaminant screening. Full results appear on the product's Certificate of Analysis (COA), reached through the QR code or link on the package. Our Reading Labels guide walks through the rest of the label.
Whether a terpene profile must be printed on the package depends on how the product is marketed. Under OCM's Part 128 guidance, if a product's terpene content is marketed, the outermost packaging (the retail package, or the marketing layer if one is used) must carry a terpene profile. As OCM's terpene profile guidance describes it, that profile identifies the product's most prominent terpenes with approximate percentages, and a chart used to present it has to include the numbers rather than shapes alone. Vaporization products with terpenes added during processing carry additional disclosure requirements for those added terpenes.
Products that do not market their terpene content are not required to print a profile, but the lab result is still available on the COA. Because the exact formatting rules are technical and are updated from time to time, read them at the source: NY OCM Part 128 Packaging & Labeling Guidance and the OCM Terpene Profile Guidance (PDF).
On a COA you will typically see each terpene by name with a percentage by weight, plus a total terpenes line. Terpene content describes aroma and flavor; it is not a measure of potency. Potency is reported as total THC and total CBD.
Terpenes by product type
- Flower and pre-rolls: terpenes come from the plant itself. Fresh, well-stored flower generally has the fullest aroma.
- Live resin and live rosin: made from plants frozen soon after harvest, an approach intended to retain more of the plant's original terpenes.
- Distillate vapes and many edibles: distillation removes most naturally occurring terpenes. Processors may add cannabis-derived or botanical (non-cannabis) terpenes back in; the label or COA shows what is in the finished product.
You can browse what we carry on our online menu, which currently lists flower and pre-rolls, with more categories added as they arrive.
The "entourage effect": an idea, not a proven fact
You may have read that terpenes and cannabinoids "work together" to shape how a product feels. This is called the entourage effect. It is a hypothesis: some researchers think the full mix of compounds may produce a different experience than THC alone. The science is not settled, human studies are limited, and no terpene has been shown to reliably produce a specific effect in people. We mention it because you will encounter the term, not because it is established. For health questions, talk with a licensed healthcare provider.
How to use terpene information when you shop
The most reliable way to use terpene data is as a flavor and aroma preference, the way you might choose a coffee or a tea.
- Start with what you liked. If a product's smell and taste appealed to you, note its leading terpenes and look for similar profiles next time.
- Read the leading terpenes, not just the name. Two products sharing a cultivar name can test very differently. The profile describes what is actually in the package.
- Look at the whole label. Terpenes do not change potency. Check total THC and total CBD as well, and if you are new to cannabis or returning after a break, start low and go slow.
- Do not use terpenes to predict effects. Cannabis affects everyone differently, and terpene content does not tell you how a product will affect you.
- Ask a budtender. All products are sold in sealed, child-resistant packaging, so packages are not opened in the store; our staff at 40-28 Murray Street can look up the COA for a product we carry and walk through its terpene results with you. See First-Time Visitors for what to expect.
Indica and sativa labels are older shorthand; terpene and cannabinoid data give you more to work with, as we explain in Indica vs. Sativa.
Storing products to preserve terpenes
Terpenes are volatile: heat, light, air, and time all reduce them, which is why older flower can smell flat or like hay. To keep aroma intact and follow New York's storage guidance:
- Keep products sealed in their original child-resistant packaging in a cool, dark, dry place. Avoid windowsills, vehicles, and spots near a stove or radiator.
- Do not refrigerate or freeze flower; moisture swings degrade it. Store concentrates and cartridges upright, away from heat.
- Lock it up. Cannabis kept at home must be stored securely so that it is not accessible to anyone under 21, and OCM recommends keeping products locked, out of sight and reach of children and pets, and separate from regular food and drinks. Source: NY OCM Safe Storage guidance (PDF).
For a plain comparison of product formats, see Consumption Methods. For New York's rules on where cannabis may and may not be used, see NY Cannabis Laws.
Responsible use reminders
Start low and go slow. It is illegal to drive under the influence of cannabis: do not drive after consuming cannabis and do not ride with an impaired driver. Plan ahead for a sober ride or use public transportation. If you feel different, you drive different. Consume only where New York law permits; cannabis may not be consumed in motor vehicles, on school grounds, or anywhere smoking tobacco is prohibited. Using cannabis and alcohol at the same time can make you more impaired than using either alone. Keep all products locked away from children and pets. If someone accidentally consumes cannabis, call the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 in a medical emergency; contact your veterinarian immediately if a pet has ingested a cannabis product. Concerned about your cannabis use? Contact the New York State HOPEline by texting HopeNY (467369), calling 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369), or visiting oasas.ny.gov/hopeline.
Pure Leaf Flower (Mirae Corp) is a New York State licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary, License No. OCM-RETL-25-000458, at 40-28 Murray Street, Flushing, NY 11354, 646-889-4071. We sell adult-use products only and do not certify patients or dispense medical cannabis; to learn about the New York State Medical Cannabis Program, visit cannabis.ny.gov/medical-cannabis. In-store shopping is open to adults 21 and older with valid government-issued photo ID. Online ordering, pickup and delivery are coming soon; in the meantime, check the menu or contact us. More guides are in our Cannabis Learning Center.
Pure Leaf Flower (Mirae Corp) is a New York State licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary, License No. OCM-RETL-25-000458. For use only by persons 21 years of age and older. This page is educational only and is not medical or legal advice. Adult-use cannabis products are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition. Consult a licensed healthcare provider about your health, and refer to New York State law and the Office of Cannabis Management for current rules. Last reviewed: September 29, 2026.
