Hawthorn is a floral note inspired by the white spring blossoms of the hawthorn shrub (Crataegus monogyna), known as may blossom. It smells sweet, powdery and almondy with a faintly animal, slightly musty edge, and in perfume it is almost always recreated with synthetics built around anisic aldehyde.

What does Hawthorn smell like?

Hawthorn blossom has a distinctive sweet-almond and aniseed character layered over fresh green petals, with a subtle honeyed warmth. Up close the real flower also carries a faint fishy or musky nuance from trimethylamine, which perfumers usually leave out. Compared with apple or cherry blossom, hawthorn is more powdery and marzipan-like; compared with lilac, it is drier and less watery.

Where Hawthorn comes from

Hawthorn grows throughout Europe, especially in the hedgerows of Britain and Ireland, flowering in late spring. The blossom gives no commercial essential oil or absolute, so perfumers build the note from anisic aldehyde (sometimes called aubépine, the French name for hawthorn), heliotropin, coumarin and soft floral materials.

• Also known as: May blossom, may tree, aubépine, whitethorn
• Fragrance family: Floral
• Type: Accord (created by the perfumer)
• How it's obtained: Recreated from synthetic aroma molecules
• Key aroma molecules: Anisic aldehyde, heliotropin, coumarin

Hawthorn in perfume history

Anisic aldehyde was sold under the name aubépine from the late 19th century, and it became a key ingredient in powdery floral perfumes of the early 20th century. Hawthorn itself carries rich folklore: in Ireland lone "fairy trees" were traditionally left uncut, and bringing may blossom indoors was considered unlucky in many parts of Britain.

Hawthorn in modern perfumery

Today hawthorn appears as a romantic, spring-like accent in powdery florals, soliflores (perfumes focused on a single flower) and some niche compositions evoking the countryside. Its almond-anise facet also bridges florals and gourmands.

How Hawthorn wears and what it pairs with

Hawthorn works as a heart note with a soft, powdery tail. It pairs well with violet, heliotrope, iris, lilac, mimosa, almond, tonka bean and white musks.

Safety and regulation

Hawthorn accords may include coumarin, an EU-declarable fragrance allergen above labelling thresholds.