Pinene: Alpha and Beta Pinene, Aroma and Lab Tested Profiles
Marcos Gabriel MoralesPinene is the pine terpene. It comes in two forms, alpha pinene and beta pinene; both smell woody and piney, and they make up a large share of cypress, juniper, pine needle and rosemary oils. In our February 2026 SC Labs tests, Strawberry Guava 2025 (Live) carried the most: 8.9% alpha pinene and 4.1% beta pinene, 13.0% in all.
What does pinene smell like?
The Good Scents Company, a flavor and fragrance database, describes alpha pinene at 10% as woody, piney and turpentine like, with a slight cooling camphor note and a fresh herbal lift. It describes beta pinene as "dry woody resinous pine hay green eucalyptus camphoreous" (The Good Scents Company). The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association lists alpha pinene as cedarwood, pine and sharp (FEMA) and beta pinene as pine, polish and wood (FEMA).
What is the difference between alpha and beta pinene?
Both are C10H16 with a molecular weight of 136.23, the same formula as myrcene and limonene; the atoms are arranged differently. Alpha pinene boils at about 155 to 156 °C and beta pinene at about 163 to 166 °C (sources: PubChem for alpha, PubChem for beta). SC Labs measures them separately; alpha pinene was the larger of the two in 8 of our 10 profiles.
Where does pinene occur outside cannabis?
In conifers, herbs and spices. Published analyses compiled by The Good Scents Company list alpha pinene in mastic oil (78.6%), cypress oil (47.0 to 52.8%), juniper berry oil (33.6%), Scotch pine needle oil (29.2 to 36.6%), rosemary oil from France (19.9 to 35.1%) and nutmeg oil (22.0%). Beta pinene is high in Canadian fir needle oil (28.1 to 56.1%), nutmeg oil (21.5%), cumin seed oil (up to 19.9%), black pepper oil (15.7%) and lemon oil (11.1 to 12.4%). FEMA lists alpha pinene as flavor ingredient number 2902 and beta pinene as 2903.
How common is pinene in cannabis?
Common. A 2022 study in PLOS ONE grouped more than 41,000 THC dominant flower samples from six US states by terpene profile. 87.4% fell into two groups, one high in caryophyllene and limonene and one high in myrcene and pinene (source: Smith et al., PLOS ONE, 2022).
Every one of our 10 tested profiles contains both forms, 5.3% to 13.0% in all. Alpha pinene was the second largest terpene in Strawberry Guava and Guava Runtz, behind myrcene.
Which strains are high in pinene?
These are the five highest pinene profiles we have tested, ranked by alpha and beta pinene combined. SC Labs (ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited) measured 39 terpene compounds by gas chromatography in our February 2026 batches.
| Profile | Alpha pinene | Beta pinene | Total pinene | Other leading terpenes | Total terpenes | SC Labs batch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Guava 2025 (Live) | 8.9% | 4.1% | 13.0% | myrcene 56.9%, limonene 4.0% | 76.4% | 260217P023 |
| Guava Runtz 2026 (Live) | 8.1% | 4.2% | 12.3% | myrcene 43.7%, terpinolene 6.4% | 72.7% | 260217P019 |
| Gummiez 2025 (Live) | 6.2% | 3.5% | 9.8% | myrcene 47.1%, terpinolene 9.6% | 77.8% | 260217P022 |
| Bubblegum 2025 (Live) | 6.2% | 3.3% | 9.5% | myrcene 53.1%, limonene 6.2% | 73.7% | 260217P026 |
| Pineapple Kush 2025 (Live) | 4.8% | 3.5% | 8.3% | myrcene 26.8%, terpinolene 22.5% | 74.9% | 260217P018 |
- Strawberry Guava 2025 (Live): tropical fruit, ripe strawberry and exotic guava. From $57 for 3 mL.
- Guava Runtz 2026 (Live): candied tropical guava and citrus over subtle earthy notes. From $57 for 3 mL.
- Gummiez 2025 (Live): floral, with notes of fresh pear, citrus and vanilla. From $57 for 3 mL.
All of these are Live profiles, captured with cryogenic aroma capture, 100% solventless, from fresh flower grown in the terpene belt of Sonoma County, California, straight from the field and never frozen. Each is 100% cannabis derived and tests at 0.0% cannabinoids on a full panel certificate of analysis. Full reports are on our lab results page.
Want to compare? The Discovery Trio lets you pick any three 3 mL profiles for $139, and US orders of $150 and up ship free.
How to use a pinene rich profile
How much to add depends on the product. Our guide on how much terpene to add to distillate lists starting ratios by product type and by hardware; start low and adjust by aroma. These are industry starting points, not guarantees. The terpene calculator does the math for your batch size. Shop terpenes for pre rolls or terpenes for concentrates.
Frequently asked questions
What does pinene smell like?
Pine. Alpha pinene is woody, piney and turpentine like with a fresh herbal lift; beta pinene is drier, woody and resinous with a green, hay note.
What is the difference between alpha and beta pinene?
They share the formula C10H16 but differ in structure. Alpha pinene boils at about 155 to 156 °C and beta pinene at about 163 to 166 °C, and they smell slightly different.
Which strain has the most pinene?
Of the profiles we have lab tested, Strawberry Guava 2025 (Live), with 8.9% alpha pinene and 4.1% beta pinene, 13.0% in all, in SC Labs batch 260217P023. Guava Runtz 2026 (Live) has 12.3% in all.
Where else is pinene found?
In mastic, cypress, juniper, pine needle, fir needle, rosemary and nutmeg oils, among others, and beta pinene in cumin, black pepper and lemon oils.
Other terpene guides: terpinolene, myrcene, limonene, ocimene, and the terpene chart comparing all of our tested profiles. Keep reading: Live vs cured terpenes and Cannabis derived vs botanical terpenes.