A-Z Oil Guide
Learn · Field guide
A field guide to all of our single-note oils by what matters most: how they smell, how they blend, and the traditions they come from.
How to read an entry: each oil lists its scent, its note (top, middle, or base), the plant part it comes from, a few blending partners, and a line of heritage - cultural and historical tradition, shared for interest, not as health claims.
Angelica Root (Angelica archangelica)
Scent: Rich, earthy, musky, herbaceous with warm, peppery undertones
Blends with: Bergamot, frankincense, patchouli, vetiver.
Heritage: Named for the angels in medieval European lore, angelica root has long lent its earthy depth to traditional herbal liqueurs and gin.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Scent: Fresh, herbaceous, slightly spicy with sweet, green undertones
Blends with: Bergamot, lime, rosemary, geranium.
Heritage: Sweet basil - the bright, green, faintly spicy herb beloved in Mediterranean kitchens. (This is culinary sweet basil, not holy basil / tulsi.)
Bay (Pimenta racemosa)
Scent: Warm, spicy, sweet, balsamic with fresh, clove-like undertones
Blends with: Bergamot, lime, clove, cedarwood.
Heritage: West Indian bay - the warm heart of the classic bay rum splash, a barbershop staple for generations.
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Scent: Bright, fresh, citrusy with soft floral and warm herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Lavender, cedarwood, neroli, sandalwood.
Heritage: Grown along Italy's southern coast, its peel gives Earl Grey tea its signature flavor and helped define classic eau de cologne.
Birch Sweet (Betula lenta)
Scent: Fresh, minty, wintergreen-like with warm, sweet undertones
Blends with: Fir needle, pine needle, orange, peppermint.
Heritage: Sweet birch - the crisp wintergreen aroma behind old-fashioned birch beer.
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)
Scent: Warm, dry, peppery, spicy with woody undertones
Blends with: Ginger, frankincense, bergamot, sandalwood.
Heritage: The 'king of spices,' carried along ancient trade routes from India's Malabar Coast and once prized nearly as highly as gold.
Carrot Seed (Daucus carota)
Scent: Warm, earthy, sweet, rooty with soft, woody, herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Lavender, geranium, frankincense, rose.
Heritage: From wild carrot - better known as Queen Anne's lace, the lacy white wildflower of meadows and roadsides.
Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica)
Scent: Warm, woody, dry with soft, balsamic, earthy undertones
Blends with: Frankincense, cinnamon, orange, lavender.
Heritage: Atlas cedar, from the mountains of Morocco - a warm, woody staple of traditional perfumery and the scent of cedar-lined chests.
Chamomile German (Matricaria recutita)
Scent: Sweet, warm, herbaceous with soft, hay-like undertones
Blends with: Lavender, geranium, bergamot, rose.
Heritage: A beloved European garden herb whose flowers have been steeped as a gentle tea for centuries. Its oil is naturally a striking deep blue.
Chamomile Roman (Anthemis nobilis)
Scent: Soft, sweet, warm, apple-like, herbaceous
Blends with: Lavender, bergamot, geranium, mandarin.
Heritage: Once planted as fragrant lawns and garden paths in England, where each footstep released its sweet, apple-like scent.
Cinnamon Leaf (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Scent: Warm, sweet, richly spicy with clove-like undertones
Blends with: Orange, clove, ginger, fir.
Heritage: Ceylon cinnamon - a treasured spice-route aromatic, warm and festive, the scent of holiday baking.
Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus)
Scent: Fresh, bright, lemony-grassy with clean, uplifting undertones
Blends with: Lemongrass, lemon, eucalyptus, lime.
Heritage: A tropical grass of South and Southeast Asia whose bright scent has become the familiar backdrop of summer evenings outdoors.
Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
Scent: Warm, herbaceous, nutty with sweet, softly floral, hay-like undertones
Blends with: Bergamot, geranium, sandalwood, lavender.
Heritage: Long grown in southern France for fine perfumery; its name traces to the Latin clarus, 'clear.'
Clove Bud (Eugenia caryophyllata)
Scent: Strong, spicy, warm with sweet, woody undertones
Blends with: Orange, cinnamon, ginger, pine.
Heritage: Prized along the ancient spice routes of the Maluku (Spice) Islands; its warm scent has perfumed homes and pomanders for centuries.
Coffee (Coffea arabica)
Scent: Rich, warm, roasted, deep coffee aroma
Blends with: Vanilla, cedarwood, orange, cinnamon.
Heritage: A cherished daily ritual ever since coffee spread from the highlands of Ethiopia and Yemen to the rest of the world.
Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
Scent: Fresh, woody, herbaceous with clean, evergreen undertones
Blends with: Cedarwood, juniper berry, pine needle, bergamot.
Heritage: The tall, slender evergreen of Mediterranean landscapes - sempervirens means 'evergreen' in Latin.
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
Scent: Fresh, sharp, camphoraceous with clean herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Peppermint, pine, lemon, rosemary.
Heritage: Native to Australia and a classic spa and steam-room scent - bright, clean, and cooling.
Eucalyptus Lemon (Eucalyptus citriodora)
Scent: Fresh, citrus, lemony with clean, camphorous undertones
Blends with: Citronella, lemongrass, lavender, lemon.
Heritage: Lemon-scented gum, native to Australia - prized for the bright, lemony aroma of its leaves.
Eucalyptus Radiata (Eucalyptus radiata)
Scent: Fresh, clean, camphorous with soft, sweet undertones
Blends with: Lemon, peppermint, pine needle, tea tree.
Heritage: Australia's narrow-leaved peppermint gum - the softer, sweeter cousin of classic eucalyptus.
Fennel Sweet (Foeniculum vulgare)
Scent: Sweet, anise-like, herbaceous with warm, spicy undertones
Blends with: Lavender, geranium, grapefruit, orange.
Heritage: An ancient Mediterranean kitchen herb - marathon, the Greek word for fennel, gave its name to the famous battlefield where it grew.
Fir Needle (Abies alba)
Scent: Fresh, clean, coniferous, green, and forest-like
Blends with: Pine needle, cedarwood, orange, lemon.
Heritage: Silver fir - native to the mountain forests of central Europe; evergreen boughs have marked winter celebrations for generations.
Frankincense (Boswellia neglecta)
Scent: Warm, resinous, balsamic with sweet, woody, incense-like undertones
Blends with: Myrrh, orange, cedarwood, lavender.
Heritage: Boswellia resin has been burned as sacred incense across the ancient world, prized in temple and meditative ritual for its warm, resinous smoke.
Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
Scent: Sweet, rosy, floral with fresh, green undertones
Blends with: Lavender, rose, sandalwood, bergamot.
Heritage: Rose geranium - a perfumer's staple since the 1800s, valued for its rose-like scent.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Scent: Warm, spicy, fresh-rooty with sweet, woody undertones
Blends with: Orange, cinnamon, clove, lemon.
Heritage: A warming spice at the heart of Asian and Ayurvedic culinary tradition.
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)
Scent: Fresh, tangy, citrusy with sweet, bright undertones
Blends with: Orange, lime, mint, rosemary.
Heritage: A brighter, more modern citrus - an 18th-century Caribbean cross - cheerful and clean.
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Scent: Fresh, herbaceous, camphorous with sweet, spicy undertones
Blends with: Lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, frankincense.
Heritage: An aromatic herb of old monastery gardens, long used to flavor traditional European herbal liqueurs.
Immortelle (Helichrysum italicum)
Scent: Warm, honeyed, herbaceous with sweet, tea-like undertones
Blends with: Lavender, geranium, bergamot, frankincense.
Heritage: The 'everlasting' flower of Mediterranean hillsides, named because its golden blooms keep their color long after picking.
Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum)
Scent: Rich, honey-sweet, exotically floral with warm undertones
Blends with: Rose, sandalwood, ylang ylang, neroli.
Heritage: Called the 'king of flowers' in perfumery, its blossoms are hand-picked at night when their scent is richest.
Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis)
Scent: Fresh, woody, slightly fruity with clean, crisp undertones
Blends with: Cypress, cedarwood, grapefruit, lemon.
Heritage: The berry that gives gin its signature flavor, and a fixture of old European hillsides and hedgerows.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Scent: Subtle, sweet, fresh floral with herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Nearly everything - cedarwood, citrus, frankincense, mint.
Heritage: Treasured since antiquity - the Romans scented their baths with it, from the Latin lavare, 'to wash.'
Lavender Vera (Lavandula vera)
Scent: Sweet, floral, herbaceous - a classic lavender, slightly brighter than our French
Blends with: Bergamot, cedarwood, geranium, orange.
Heritage: True lavender from Bulgaria, today one of the world's leading lavender growers.
Lemon (Citrus limon)
Scent: Bright, fresh, clean, citrusy with sweet undertones
Blends with: Lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, other citrus.
Heritage: A sunny kitchen and household classic, bright and familiar.
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
Scent: Fresh, lemony, grassy with earthy, herbal undertones
Blends with: Citronella, eucalyptus, geranium, lime.
Heritage: A staple of Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian kitchens - bright, grassy, and unmistakably lemony.
Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)
Scent: Bright, zesty, citrus with fresh, tangy undertones
Blends with: Orange, grapefruit, mint, ginger.
Heritage: A lively tropical citrus, crisp and sparkling.
Linden Blossom (Tilia cordata)
Scent: Soft, sweet, honeyed floral with fresh, green undertones
Blends with: Bergamot, rose, lavender, mandarin.
Heritage: Linden trees line old European boulevards, and their honey-sweet summer blossoms are a classic of European folk tradition.
Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)
Scent: Sweet, fresh citrus with soft, delicate undertones
Blends with: Lavender, chamomile, neroli, ylang ylang.
Heritage: Mandarin oranges are a traditional gift of good fortune at Lunar New Year - the gentlest, most rounded of the citrus.
Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
Scent: Warm, herbaceous, softly spicy with sweet, woody undertones
Blends with: Lavender, cedarwood, rosemary, bergamot.
Heritage: In ancient Greece, sweet marjoram was a symbol of happiness, woven into the crowns worn by newlyweds.
Maychang (Litsea cubeba)
Scent: Fresh, lemony, fruity with uplifting citrus notes
Blends with: Bergamot, cedarwood, grapefruit, ginger.
Heritage: From the small, peppery fruit of the litsea tree, native to the hills of southern China and Southeast Asia.
Melissa (Melissa officinalis)
Scent: Bright, fresh, lemony-herbaceous with soft, honey-sweet undertones
Blends with: Lavender, bergamot, geranium, rose.
Heritage: Lemon balm - its name comes from the Greek for 'honeybee,' and it has been a bee-garden favorite since antiquity.
Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)
Scent: Warm, earthy, balsamic with smoky, resinous, incense-like undertones
Blends with: Frankincense, cedarwood, orange, patchouli.
Heritage: One of the oldest known aromatics, traded and burned alongside frankincense in ancient ritual.
Myrtle (Myrtus communis)
Scent: Fresh, clean, herbaceous with sweet, camphorous undertones
Blends with: Eucalyptus, lavender, pine needle, tea tree.
Heritage: Sacred to Aphrodite in Greek myth and a traditional sprig in European bridal bouquets.
Neroli (Citrus aurantium)
Scent: Bittersweet, floral-citrus with soft, honeyed undertones
Blends with: Bergamot, jasmine, rose, sandalwood.
Heritage: Named, by legend, for a 17th-century princess of Nerola, Italy, who scented her gloves and baths with orange blossom.
Niaouli (Melaleuca viridiflora)
Scent: Fresh, clean with sweet, camphorous undertones
Blends with: Lavender, peppermint, tea tree, lemon.
Heritage: A paperbark cousin of tea tree, native to New Caledonia and northern Australia.
Orange (Citrus sinensis)
Scent: Sweet, fresh, fruity, sunny
Blends with: Cinnamon, clove, frankincense, ginger.
Heritage: The warm, sweet scent of winter holidays and sunny groves.
Oregano Wild (Origanum vulgare)
Scent: Warm, intense, sharp, herbaceous
Blends with: Lemon, rosemary, thyme, lavender.
Heritage: Its name comes from the Greek for 'joy of the mountains' - a wild herb of sunny Mediterranean slopes.
Patchouli (Pogostemon patchouli)
Scent: Rich, earthy, musky, sweet with warm, woody undertones
Blends with: Bergamot, geranium, rose, sandalwood.
Heritage: In the 1800s, patchouli leaves were packed with fine shawls shipped from India to Europe - its scent became the mark of the genuine article.
Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Scent: Fresh, cool, sharp with mentholated, herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon, lavender.
Heritage: A cooling classic enjoyed for centuries as a refreshing aroma.
Pine Needle (Pinus sylvestris)
Scent: Fresh, crisp, forest with clean, woody, balsamic undertones
Blends with: Fir, cedarwood, eucalyptus, orange.
Heritage: Scots pine - the fresh, resinous scent of the northern evergreen forest, long tied to winter tradition.
Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica)
Scent: Fresh, clean, softly camphorous, green, subtly spicy
Blends with: Eucalyptus, fir needle, lemon, pine needle.
Heritage: Native to the rainforests of Madagascar, where its name comes from the Malagasy for 'good leaf.'
Rose (Rosa damascena)
Scent: Rich, honey-sweet, deeply floral with warm, spicy undertones
Blends with: Frankincense, neroli, sandalwood, geranium.
Heritage: Damask rose - cultivated for centuries from Persia to Bulgaria for one of perfumery's oldest treasures. It takes thousands of petals to make a single ounce of oil.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Scent: Fresh, herbaceous, camphoraceous with woody undertones
Blends with: Peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, basil.
Heritage: An 'herb of remembrance' in old European lore - a crisp, garden-fresh Mediterranean staple.
Sandalwood (Santalum album)
Scent: Deep, creamy, sweet with warm, woody, balsamic undertones
Blends with: Frankincense, jasmine, myrrh, rose.
Heritage: Revered for millennia in India, where its fragrant heartwood is carved, burned as incense, and treasured in ritual.
Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
Scent: Sweet, fresh, softly minty with a rounded, candy-sweet character
Blends with: Lime, grapefruit, lavender, basil.
Heritage: A softer, sweeter mint - gentle and familiar, milder than peppermint.
Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)
Scent: Sweet, soft, gently fruity, cheerful
Blends with: Frankincense, lavender, ylang ylang, cinnamon.
Heritage: Named for Tangier, Morocco - the port through which this sweet citrus first reached Europe.
Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Scent: Fresh, camphoraceous with herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Eucalyptus, lemon, rosemary, lavender.
Heritage: A prized aromatic of the Bundjalung people of Australia, clean and crisp.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Scent: Warm, intense, sharp, herbaceous, fresh-green
Blends with: Lemon, rosemary, lavender, bergamot.
Heritage: The ancient Greeks burned thyme as temple incense, and in medieval Europe a sprig was a token of courage.
Thyme Wild (Thymus serpyllum)
Scent: Warm, soft, herbaceous, sweet-green
Blends with: Lemon, rosemary, lavender, orange.
Heritage: Wild creeping thyme, also called 'mother of thyme' - a fragrant carpet across European heaths and hillsides.
Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia)
Scent: Warm, sweet, rich, creamy-balsamic vanilla
Blends with: Orange, cedarwood, cinnamon, coffee.
Heritage: First cultivated by the Totonac people of Mexico; today Madagascar grows much of the world's vanilla.
Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides)
Scent: Deep, earthy, smoky with rich, woody undertones
Blends with: Sandalwood, patchouli, bergamot, lavender.
Heritage: In India, vetiver roots have long been woven into window screens that release a cool, earthy scent when sprinkled with water.
Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata)
Scent: Intensely sweet, exotically floral with warm, honeyed, tropical undertones
Blends with: Bergamot, jasmine, sandalwood, lavender.
Heritage: Often translated as 'flower of flowers,' its blossoms are scattered on the beds of newlyweds in Indonesian tradition.
Keep exploring
Found one you love? Learn to blend and use it safely in How to Dilute Safely, or start with the basics in Aromatherapy 101.
Traditional and historical uses are shared for cultural and educational interest and are not health claims. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Wyndmere essential oils are cosmetic aromatic products and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For external use only.