# Linalool

> Linalool is a floral, lavender-scented monoterpene alcohol found in lavender and some cannabis cultivars, usually at low levels below 0.3% w/w.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/linalool.html
- Also written: linalol, linolool, beta-linalool, linalyl alcohol
- Glossary category: Cannabinoids and terpenes · Evidence: Established
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Linalool is an acyclic [monoterpene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/monoterpene.md) alcohol, strictly a monoterpenoid. It is the [dominant](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/dominant.md) aroma compound of lavender and occurs in coriander, basil, birch and many flowers. In cannabis it is a floral, sweet, slightly spicy note that is usually a secondary [terpene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene.md) rather than the dominant one.

## In practice

Typical flower readings run from [not detected](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/non-detect.md) to about 0.3% w/w. A few cultivar families are notably linalool-rich, and breeders who chase floral profiles select for it with [terpene tests](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene-test.md). As an alcohol, linalool is a little less volatile than the hydrocarbon monoterpenes but still sensitive to warm, fast drying.

## Don't confuse with

- **Linalyl acetate**: the ester partner in lavender oil, rarely reported in cannabis.
- **Geraniol**: another floral monoterpene alcohol, rosier in scent.
- **Linoleic acid**: a fatty acid, unrelated despite the similar name.

## Myth check

Linalool is often marketed as "calming". Animal and inhalation studies exist, but there is no established human evidence that the amount in cannabis produces such an effect; effects are only reported. See [Mythbusters](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/mythbusters.md).

## Related terms

[Terpenoid](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpenoid.md), [Monoterpene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/monoterpene.md), [Terpene profile](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene-profile.md), [Geraniol](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/geraniol.md), [Bisabolol](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bisabolol.md)

## Sources

1. Booth JK, Bohlmann J. 2019. Terpenes in Cannabis sativa: from plant genome to humans. Plant Science 284:67-72.
2. Smith CJ, Vergara D, Keegan B, Jikomes N. 2022. The phytochemical diversity of commercial Cannabis in the United States. PLOS ONE 17(5):e0267498. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267498