Closeup photo of ripe yellow lemons on a leafy green lemon tree with the words TERPENES WE ADORE - Limonene - Stress relieving jolt of citrus. From Green Bee Botanicals' Terpenes Blog Series.

Terpene spotlight: limonene

by Lilli Keinaenen | Apr 5, 2022 | Journal | 0 comments

Tangy, sharp, fresh, clean – lemons have an intoxicating scent. What’s in that scent? A terpene called limonene. Terpenes, like limonene, are the scent molecules and active ingredients found in cannabis, as well as other plant botanicals, like lemons and citrus. It’s what makes some cannabis smell like citrus. And we adore it.

What are terpenes?

Terpenes are the “essential oils” of the cannabis plant, created in the same glands that produce cannabinoids like the active ingredients THC and CBD. Terpenes are what make cannabis smell like it smells like – they are the aromatic oils that scent cannabis varieties with distinctive flavors like citrus, berry, mint, and pine (and skunk too!)⁠.

Terpenes seem to work together to alter, or temper the effects of other terpenes as well as cannabinoids such as CBD and THC. This is known as the entourage effect. More research is needed to understand each terpene’s effect when used in harmony with the other components, but it is clear that it’s not just about making cannabis smell good. Terpenes like linalool are active participants in the entourage!⁠

Terpenes in cannabis

From Leafly.com: “Not unlike other strong-smelling plants and flowers, the development of terpenes in cannabis began for adaptive purposes: to repel predators and lure pollinators. There are many factors that influence a plant’s development of terpenes, including climate, weather, age and maturation, fertilizers, soil type, and even the time of day.

“Over 100 different terpenes have been identified in the cannabis plant, and every strain tends toward a unique terpene type and composition. In other words, a strain like Cheese and its descendants will likely have a discernible cheese-like smell, and Blueberry offspring often inherit the smell of berries.

“Terpenes may also play a key role in differentiating the effects of various cannabis strains, but more studies are needed to understand how and to what extent.”

And in our terpene roundup, today, we’re celebrating the magic of limonene.⁠

The magic of limonene

Limonene is a citrus-scented terpene found in lemon, orange, and grapefruit. It’s known for being a potent mood-lifter, which comes in handy if you’re feeling anxious or sad. Limonene also can help support healthy digestion. ⁠

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Stress relieving, antioxidant, antibacterial monoterpene

Limonene has powerful stress relieving, antioxidant, anti-fungal, and antibacterial properties. This monoterpene is abundant in cannabis, as well as citrus rinds, foods, citrus essential oils, medications, and natural cleaning solutions. Strains like Banana OG and Wedding Cake are traditionally very high in limonene⁠

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Th limonene terpene is featured in our Green Bee Botanicals Perfecting Serum, which contains orange essential oil to complete its uplifting scent. Our unique formulation also includes vitamin C, which brightens and protects the skin. Add limonene and cannabis’s unique anti-inflammatory properties and you’ve got a healing serum that’s a powerhouse on multiple levels. ⁠

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Nerd alert: As part of the entourage effect, limonene helps its sister terpenes absorb more readily into the body. ⁠

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Essential oils and cannabis plants contain a wide range of terpenes that work together with cannabinoids to nourish the skin. When the full spectrum of cannabinoids comes together, that interplay among components is known as the entourage effect. More research is needed to determine exactly how terpenes functions alongside its counterparts, but it’s thought that one thing it may do is amplify the cannabinoids’ anti-inflammatory properties.⁠

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Terpenes are aromatic oils that give cannabis and other plants their distinctive scent

Terpenes are volatile organic compounds that are produced by the cannabis plant. Produced by the same glands that make cannabinoids like THC and CBD, terpenes are aromatic oils that color cannabis varieties with distinctive flavors like citrus, berry, mint, and pine (and skunk too!)⁠.

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