Pinene

Fresh pine forest, rosemary, and resin

At a glancePinene (alpha-Pinene, beta-Pinene · a cannabis terpene) smells of fresh pine forest, rosemary, and resin. Pinene is exactly what it sounds like: the scent of a pine forest. It is the most common terpene in the plant kingdom overall, and in cannabis it shows up as pine, rosemary, and fresh herbal notes. Also found in pine needles, rosemary, basil, dill, parsley.

What is Pinene?

Pinene is exactly what it sounds like: the scent of a pine forest. It is the most common terpene in the plant kingdom overall, and in cannabis it shows up as pine, rosemary, and fresh herbal notes.

AromaFresh pine forest, rosemary, and resin
Also found inPine needles, rosemary, basil, dill, parsley
Also calledalpha-Pinene, beta-Pinene

Effects context

Strain guides link pinene with alert, clear-headed profiles — the opposite of the foggy stereotype. Some preclinical work explores memory-related effects, but human evidence is not established.

Strains with pinene-like flavor notes

Frequently asked questions

What does pinene smell like?
Pinene smells like pine needles, rosemary, and fresh resin.
Which strains are high in pinene?
Pine- or rosemary-scented strains — many classic sativas and hazes — are typically pinene-forward.

More terpene guides

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This page is for informational purposes only and is not medical or legal advice. Cannabis affects everyone differently, and reported effects, flavors, and THC/CBD figures come from a third-party reference dataset (Kushy open cannabis dataset, MIT license) — individual samples vary widely. Talk to a qualified clinician before using cannabis for any health condition, and check your state's official program rules before possessing or using cannabis. Caregivers Grove does not sell, ship, or broker cannabis, and takes no payment for cannabis products.