Tagete Oil

• 🔍 Chemical name — Essential oil from Tagetes minuta

• 📂 CAS N° — 8016-84-0

• 📘 FEMA — 3045

• ⚖️ MW — Mixture (no fixed molecular weight – complex natural oil)

• 📝 Odor type — Green, Aromatic, Fruity

• 📈 Odor Strength — Very High

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Intensely herbaceous, fruity (green apple, citrus peel), with floral and bitter-sweet nuances; top-to-middle note

• ⚗️ Uses — Used in floral bouquets, fruity-green accords, tea and tobacco themes. Brightens white florals and adds complexity to peach, apricot, or chypre compositions.

Tagetes minuta (Tagete) Oil in Perfumery: A Comprehensive Overview

Historical Background

Tagetes minuta, commonly known as tagetes or marigold (not to be confused with pot marigold, Calendula), is a flowering plant native to the southern half of South America (Soule, 1993). It was disseminated worldwide following Spanish colonization and has since naturalized in parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America. Traditionally, the indigenous peoples of the Andes and other regions have used T. minuta for a variety of purposes. The dried leaves have served as a culinary herb (e.g., the Peruvian huacatay paste) and as a condiment imparting an apple-like flavor to foods. Medicinally, the plant was brewed as herbal tea and employed in folk remedies and ritual practices, reflecting a long history of ethnobotanical interest (Soule, 1993). Its strong aromatic properties also led to use as an insect repellent; dried Tagetes plants were hung in homes or planted in gardens to deter pests like flies and nematodes (Panten & Surburg, 2016).

The essential oil of Tagetes minuta – often called Tagetes oil or tagette oil – began to attract attention in the fragrance industry by the mid-20th century. While French perfumers were among the first to experiment with this oil (using it in minimal amounts despite its pungency), it remained relatively niche due to supply and safety considerations. Arctander (1960) noted that true tagetes oil has no suitable substitutes; once a perfume formula requires it, the perfumer must obtain the genuine oil. Early on, Arctander remarked on a unique “apple-like” sweet note obtainable in extreme dilution, although the oil saw little use in flavor applications. By the late 20th century, cultivation of Tagetes minuta for its oil was established in countries like Zimbabwe, South Africa, and India to meet perfumery demand. These regions became major producers through steam distillation of the plant’s flowering tops, yielding the deep orange-colored essential oil known in perfumery today (Lawrence, 2016).

Olfactory Profile

Tagetes oil has a distinctive scent profile that is both powerful and complex. In perfumery descriptions, it is typically classified as a green-aromatic note with pronounced fruity and floral facets. The aroma is intensely herbaceous and bitter-sweet at first sniff, with a sharp pungency reminiscent of crushed marigold leaves (Arctander, 1960). Amidst the green herb notes, one detects a fruity undertone often likened to green apples and citrus peel. This fruity aspect gives the oil a surprising sweetness once diffused, balancing its bitter herbal core. In very dilute form, tagetes oil reveals a sweet floral nuance – Arctander noted a trace of apple-blossom or chamomile-like sweetness that can emerge at high dilution (Arctander, 1960). Overall it is a multifaceted top-to-middle note ingredient: intensely aromatic, with narcotic floral hints and a fresh green character that persists into the drydown (Panten & Surburg, 2016). Perfumers consider tagetes a high-impact material (a little goes a long way) that lends a unique fruity-green sparkle and a slightly spicy, warm undertone to compositions. Its unusual combination of sweet fruitiness and bitter herbalness makes it a distinctive note not easily replicated by other oils.

Chemical Composition

Chemically, Tagetes minuta oil is complex, containing a blend of terpenes, ketones, and other compounds that together create its characteristic odor. The exact composition can vary with geography, harvest time, and distillation conditions, but several major constituents are consistently reported:

• Ocimenes (cis-β-ocimene) – Monoterpene hydrocarbons such as cis-ocimene often form a substantial portion of the oil (sometimes 30–50% by GC analysis) (Lawrence, 2016).

• Tagetone (E and Z isomers) – A signature ketone of tagetes oil, present typically around 5–15%. Tagetone is considered a primary carrier of the oil’s fruity “marigold” odor. Notably, it is an unstable molecule prone to polymerization (Arctander, 1960).

• Dihydrotagetone – A related saturated ketone (about 10–20%) that adds sweet-fruity nuances. Dihydrotagetone is thought to reinforce the apricot/green-apple facet of the oil’s aroma (Lawrence, 2016).

• Tagetenones (cis and trans) – Isomeric ketones (often collectively 5–30% or more) which deepen the scent with a slightly heavier, sweetish undertone (Lawrence, 2016).

• Limonene and other terpenes – Citrus-like terpenes such as limonene, β-phellandrene, and α-pinene appear in smaller quantities (typically 2–10%) (Panten & Surburg, 2016).

• Sesquiterpenes – Minor components like β-caryophyllene and bicyclogermacrene (around 1–2% each) have been identified.

• Thiophene derivatives – Unusual sulfur-containing compounds, notably alpha-terthienyl, are present in trace amounts. These must be limited due to their potent phototoxicity (Obelis, 2016).

Applications in Perfumery

In modern perfumery, tagetes oil is valued as a specialty ingredient used sparingly to impart a bright, fruity-floral lift and exotic green accent to compositions:

• Floral Fragrances: Tagetes is especially appreciated in complex floral bouquets. It pairs well with “narcotic” white florals like jasmine, tuberose, orange blossom, and gardenia (Arctander, 1960). Just a trace can intensify a blossom’s radiance – for example, tagetes is blended into certain tuberose accords to augment their sweet, nectar-like facets while adding a green counterpoint. Jean Patou’s Joy Forever (2013) features tagetes in the heart, alongside jasmine and rose (Parfumo, n.d.).

• Fruity and Green Accords: The fruity undertones of tagetes oil make it a choice ingredient for reinforcing apricot, peach, or tropical fruit notes in perfumes. It can lend a natural, jammy sweetness to fruity-floral scents and is sometimes used in peach-scented chypres or green fruity blends to add depth. Its dual nature shines in compositions that bridge green and fruity themes. Byredo Bal d’Afrique (2009) includes African marigold (tagetes) in the top notes to marry citrus brightness with a unique sweet-green character (Scent Split, n.d.).

• Aroma Accords (Tea, Tobacco, etc.): Natural perfumers sometimes incorporate tagetes oil in herbal tea accords or tobacco-themed fragrances. Its hay-like dried herb facet and fruity sweetness can suggest nuances of black tea, or the honeyed aspects of cured tobacco leaves (Panten & Surburg, 2016).

Because of its intensity, tagetes is usually dosed at very low levels in fragrance formulas. Even in compositions where it is present, it seldom dominates; rather, it operates in the background to lift and brighten other notes (Arctander, 1960).

Safety and Regulatory Aspects

Phototoxicity is the primary concern: alpha-terthienyl (a natural thiophene derivative) has been identified as a potent photosensitizer (Obelis, 2016). To protect consumers, IFRA imposes strict limits. Oils from T. minuta should not exceed:

• 0.01% in leave-on products applied to sun-exposed skin (Category 4),

• 0.1% in rinse-off products (Category 6), such as shampoos and liquid soaps,

• 0.1% in deodorants and air fresheners (Category 9), and

• No restriction for products not in direct skin contact (Category 11),

provided that the oil contains no more than 0.35% alpha-terthienyl (IFRA, 2020).

Beyond phototoxicity, tagetes oil can be a skin irritant and sensitizer (Obelis, 2016). Due to component instability, aged oils may pose greater irritancy, hence stabilization is recommended (Arctander, 1960).

Environmental And Sustainability Considerations

Tagetes minuta oil is generally considered a sustainable ingredient. It is widely cultivated in India and Africa for essential oil extraction (Lawrence, 2016). The plant is fast-growing, deters nematodes naturally, and its oil yield is adequate for commercial use. In some areas, the species is even considered invasive (Soule, 1993).

Efforts to reduce energy use in steam distillation and optimize transportation can further enhance sustainability.

References

• Arctander, S. (1960). Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin. Elizabeth, NJ: Self-published.

• IFRA. (2020). IFRA Standards: Tagetes minuta oil. International Fragrance Association.

• Lawrence, B. M. (2016). Progress in essential oils: Tagetes oil. Perfumer & Flavorist, 41(5), 46–50.

• Obelis. (2016, April 19). Opinion on Fragrance Ingredients Tagetes Minuta and T. Patula Extracts and Essential Oils (phototoxicity). Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS).

• Panten, J., & Surburg, H. (2016). Common Fragrance and Flavor Materials: Preparation, Properties and Uses (6th ed.). Weinheim: Wiley-VCH.

• Parfumo. (n.d.). Jean Patou “Joy Forever” – Fragrance Pyramid (2013). Retrieved 2025, from https://www.parfumo.net/Perfumes/Jean_Patou/Joy_Forever

• Scent Split. (n.d.). Byredo “Bal d’Afrique” – Notes List and Description (2009). Retrieved 2025, from https://www.scentsplit.com/products/byredo-bal-dafrique