Alpha humulene, also known as alpha caryophyllene, has an earthy/woody scent. It’s found in hops, so it’s responsible for the distinctive smell of beer. Like many terpenes, it fights harmful insects, but it also has some interesting medical potential for humans.

Valencene is found in citrus fruit in abundant quantities, particularly Valencia oranges. Unsurprisingly, it has a sweet, fresh, citrusy scent that occasionally has notes of wood or fresh herbs. It contributes a rich, bitter scent to the cannabis strains it’s found in.

Caryophyllene is one of the most abundant terpenes found in cannabis. In fact, it’s so abundant that caryophyllene oxide is what drug-sniffing dogs smell when they identify cannabis. It is well-studied and offers some exciting medical potential, particularly for people dealing with pain, cancer, or alcohol abuse.

Phytol is our focus for this week’s Terpene Tuesday. It’s the by-product of chlorophyll breaking down and a precursor to both vitamin E and vitamin K — if you take a multivitamin, this terpene probably contributed some of the vitamins.