# Terpene

> Terpenes are volatile hydrocarbon compounds built from five-carbon isoprene units; in cannabis they are made in the trichome heads and are a major part of aroma and flavour.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene.html
- Also written: terpenes, terpines, terpenes (cannabis)
- 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"

A terpene is a hydrocarbon assembled from isoprene (C5) units. Strictly, "terpene" means the pure hydrocarbon and "[terpenoid](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpenoid.md)" the oxygen-containing relatives, but growers use "terps" for both. Cannabis makes them in the same glandular [trichomes](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/trichome.md) as [cannabinoids](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cannabinoid.md), using terpene synthase enzymes. More than 100 have been identified; a typical flower is dominated by a few, such as myrcene, [beta-caryophyllene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/beta-caryophyllene.md), [limonene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/limonene.md), terpinolene and the pinenes.

## In practice

Total terpene content in dried flower is usually somewhere around 1-3% w/w, sometimes higher in fresh material. [Monoterpenes](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/monoterpene.md) are the most volatile and are lost first during drying, curing and storage; Ross and ElSohly found large monoterpene losses on air-drying. Slow, cool drying and a careful cure keep more of them. Terpenes explain much of a cultivar's smell, but not all: trace [sulfur](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/sulfur.md) compounds and esters can dominate certain aromas.

## Don't confuse with

- **Terpenoid**: an oxygenated terpene (linalool, bisabolol), often lumped in with terpenes.
- **Cannabinoid**: a different compound class, made in the same glands.
- **Volatile sulfur compounds**: tiny amounts drive the "skunk" smell, not terpenes.

## Myth check

Terpenes on a label do not predict effects. House view: indica/sativa labels don't predict chemistry, and terpene-based effect claims are unproven. 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), [Sesquiterpene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/sesquiterpene.md), [Terpene profile](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene-profile.md), [Volatile sulfur compounds](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/volatile-sulfur-compounds.md), [Myrcene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/myrcene.md)

## Read more

- [Why everything tastes the same: the evidence that commercial cannabis is converging](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/why-everything-tastes-the-same.md)
- [Drying cannabis: the 60/60 method and water activity](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/harvest-cure/drying.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
3. Ross SA, ElSohly MA. 1996. The volatile oil composition of fresh and air-dried buds of Cannabis sativa. Journal of Natural Products 59(1):49-51.