WEED.DE × PHARMACY TOOLKIT · TERPENE EXPLAINER · v1.0 · APRIL 2026

Terpenes. The molecules behind the smell, the taste, and the conversation.

Compliance-cleared for in-pharmacy distribution

Reviewed under §3 Heilmittelwerbegesetz (HWG). No therapeutic claims. No comparative efficacy statements. Objective chemistry, organoleptic profiles, and prevalence in cannabis cultivars only.

REF · WD-TERP-V1 · GEPRÜFT 04 / 2026

Eight molecules account for 99 % of the aromatic signature in commercial medical cannabis dispensed across the Weed.de network. This reference describes each one — what it smells like, where else in nature it occurs, how often it shows up in patient prescriptions, and the language a pharmacist may use to describe it without crossing into a claim.

I. The eight

The eight terpenes patients are most likely to encounter on the Weed.de ledger.

Share figures are real, computed from order-level terpene tags across the Weed.de pharmacy network. Sum > 100 % because most cultivars carry multiple terpenes.

01 · C₁₅H₂₄ · DEEP DIVE LIVE

Caryophyllene

β-Caryophyllene

Peppery · spicy · woody

02 · C₁₀H₁₆

Limonene

D-Limonene

Bright citrus · lemon peel

03 · C₁₀H₁₆

Myrcene

β-Myrcene

Earthy · herbaceous · hops

04 · C₁₀H₁₈O

Linalool

Floral · lavender · soft spice

05 · C₁₀H₁₆

Pinene

α-Pinene · β-Pinene

Pine forest · sharp · fresh

06 · C₁₅H₂₄

Humulene

α-Humulene

Hops · earthy · woody

07 · C₁₀H₁₆

Terpinolene

Fresh · woody · slight citrus

08 · C₁₀H₁₆

Ocimene

β-Ocimene

Sweet · herbaceous · basil

II. The profiles

One page per terpene. Chemistry. Origin. Prevalence. Pharmacist script.

Each script line below has been reviewed for compliance under §3 HWG. The pharmacist may quote it verbatim; it carries no therapeutic claim.

01 · β-CARYOPHYLLENE · C₁₅H₂₄

Caryophyllene

β-Caryophyllene · sesquiterpene

"Peppery, spicy, woody. The molecule that makes black pepper smell the way it does."

Chemistry C₁₅H₂₄ · bicyclic sesquiterpene · BP 268 °C · MW 204,35 g/mol

Found in Black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, oregano, hops, rosemary, basil.

Aroma profile Peppery, spicy, woody, slightly sweet on the back end.

Common cultivars Cookies-line, GMO Cookies, Original Glue, Bubba Kush, Cereal Milk genetics. Often dominant in dessert-named lines.

Marketplace prevalence

26,8 %

Most-prevalent terpene in the Weed.de pharmacy ledger. Tagged on 140 175 dispensed product-orders across the network.

Pharmacist script

"This cultivar's profile is caryophyllene-led. Caryophyllene is the same compound found in black pepper and cloves. Here is the product information from Weed.de."

→ Read the full caryophyllene reference

02 · D-LIMONENE · C₁₀H₁₆

Limonene

D-Limonene · monoterpene

"Bright citrus. Lemon peel on a warm day. Orange zest off a knife."

Chemistry C₁₀H₁₆ · cyclic monoterpene · BP 176 °C · MW 136,23 g/mol

Found in Lemon and orange peel oils, juniper berries, rosemary, peppermint.

Aroma profile Sharp citrus top note, slightly sweet, clean and bright.

Common cultivars Lemon-line genetics, Tangie, Sour Diesel, Super Lemon Haze. Often dominant in sativa-leaning cultivars.

Marketplace prevalence

24,4 %

Second-most-prevalent terpene. Tagged on 127 923 dispensed product-orders. Highest correlation in the ledger with the "Citrus" patient-reported flavour tag.

Pharmacist script

"This cultivar is limonene-led. Limonene is the molecule that gives citrus peels their aroma. Here is the product information from Weed.de."

03 · β-MYRCENE · C₁₀H₁₆

Myrcene

β-Myrcene · monoterpene

"Earthy, herbaceous, slightly musky. The base note in hops and bay leaves."

Chemistry C₁₀H₁₆ · acyclic monoterpene · BP 167 °C · MW 136,23 g/mol

Found in Hops, mango, lemongrass, thyme, bay leaves, cardamom.

Aroma profile Earthy, herbal, faintly fruity (mango), the base note that grounds many cannabis cultivars.

Common cultivars OG Kush family, Granddaddy Purple, Blue Dream, White Widow. Often dominant in indica-leaning cultivars.

Marketplace prevalence

21,8 %

Tagged on 113 798 dispensed product-orders. Highest co-occurrence in the ledger with the "Earthy" flavour tag (84 093 product-orders).

Pharmacist script

"This cultivar's profile is myrcene-dominant. Myrcene is the same compound that gives hops their characteristic aroma. Here is the product information from Weed.de."

04 · LINALOOL · C₁₀H₁₈O

Linalool

Linalool · oxygenated monoterpene

"Floral, soft, lavender. The molecule that makes lavender smell like lavender."

Chemistry C₁₀H₁₈O · acyclic oxygenated monoterpene · BP 198 °C · MW 154,25 g/mol

Found in Lavender, coriander, basil, rosewood, citrus rinds, mint.

Aroma profile Floral, soft, faintly sweet, with a slight spice underneath.

Common cultivars LA Confidential, Lavender, Amnesia Haze, Do-Si-Dos, Granddaddy Purple (often as secondary).

Marketplace prevalence

10,3 %

Tagged on 54 119 dispensed product-orders. Less common as the dominant terpene; frequent secondary in the ledger.

Pharmacist script

"This cultivar carries linalool. Linalool is the molecule responsible for the smell of lavender. Here is the product information from Weed.de."

05 · α-PINENE · C₁₀H₁₆

Pinene

α-Pinene · β-Pinene · bicyclic monoterpenes

"Pine forest in spring. Sharp, fresh, unmistakable."

Chemistry C₁₀H₁₆ · bicyclic monoterpene · BP 156 °C (α) · 166 °C (β)

Found in Pine needles, rosemary, sage, parsley, dill, basil, eucalyptus.

Aroma profile Crisp pine, slightly camphoraceous, sharp top note.

Common cultivars Jack Herer, Blue Dream, Strawberry Cough, Critical Mass. Often a top-three terpene rather than the dominant one.

Marketplace prevalence

6,8 %

Tagged on 35 682 dispensed product-orders (α + β + total Pinene combined). The most common ‘Pine’-flavour-tagged cultivars in the ledger feature pinene as a top-three terpene.

Pharmacist script

"This cultivar's profile features pinene. Pinene is the same compound found in pine needles and rosemary. Here is the product information from Weed.de."

06 · α-HUMULENE · C₁₅H₂₄

Humulene

α-Humulene · sesquiterpene

"Hops. The molecule named after the plant — Humulus lupulus."

Chemistry C₁₅H₂₄ · monocyclic sesquiterpene · BP 198–222 °C · isomer of caryophyllene

Found in Hops (Humulus lupulus, the plant it is named after), coriander, basil, sage, balsam fir.

Aroma profile Hoppy, earthy, woody, slightly bitter — closely tied with caryophyllene.

Common cultivars White Widow, Headband, Sour Diesel, Original Glue. Almost always co-dominant with caryophyllene.

Marketplace prevalence

5,7 %

Tagged on 29 860 dispensed product-orders (α-Humulene + total Humulene). Strongly co-occurs with caryophyllene — the two are isomers.

Pharmacist script

"This cultivar features humulene. Humulene is named after the hop plant — it's the same compound found in hops. Here is the product information from Weed.de."

07 · TERPINOLENE · C₁₀H₁₆

Terpinolene

Terpinolene · monoterpene

"Fresh, woody, herbal. The complex profile of tea tree and apples."

Chemistry C₁₀H₁₆ · cyclic monoterpene · BP 184 °C · MW 136,23 g/mol

Found in Tea tree, lilac, apples, cumin, nutmeg, conifers.

Aroma profile Fresh, woody, slightly piney, with a sweet-herbal undertone — more complex than most monoterpenes.

Common cultivars Jack Herer family, Dutch Treat, XJ-13, Ghost Train Haze. The signature terpene of the Jack lineage.

Marketplace prevalence

2,7 %

Tagged on 13 806 dispensed product-orders. Rare as the dominant terpene; when present, often the defining note of the cultivar.

Pharmacist script

"This cultivar is terpinolene-led. A complex profile — fresh, woody, slightly herbal. Here is the product information from Weed.de."

08 · β-OCIMENE · C₁₀H₁₆

Ocimene

β-Ocimene · acyclic monoterpene

"Sweet, herbaceous, slightly woody. The note in basil, mint, and orchid blossoms."

Chemistry C₁₀H₁₆ · acyclic monoterpene · BP 81 °C (at 30 mmHg) · MW 136,23 g/mol

Found in Mint, parsley, basil, mango, orchids, kumquat, tarragon.

Aroma profile Sweet, herbaceous, lightly fruity — the green-floral note in basil and mint leaves.

Common cultivars Strawberry Cough, Clementine, Dream Queen, Golden Pineapple. Often a secondary note in tropical-fruit-leaning cultivars.

Marketplace prevalence

1,3 %

Tagged on 6 896 dispensed product-orders. The least common of the eight major terpenes; typically a supporting note rather than a dominant.

Pharmacist script

"This cultivar carries ocimene. Ocimene is the sweet, herbaceous note in basil and mint. Here is the product information from Weed.de."

III. Profile-match matrix

When the prescribed cultivar is unavailable, which profile sits closest?

Match scores represent organoleptic and biosynthetic proximity. A score of 90+ indicates the substituting profile carries close to the same primary aromatic signature. Used by the Brand-Integrity Toolkit's substitution console.

↓ prescribed · → substitute	Caryo	Limo	Myrc	Lina	Pine	Humu	Terp	Ocim
Caryophyllene	—	42	68	61	38	92	36	40
Limonene	42	—	48	65	71	39	68	72
Myrcene	68	48	—	63	59	85	58	60
Linalool	61	65	63	—	47	49	55	70
Pinene	38	71	59	47	—	44	88	62
Humulene	92	39	85	49	44	—	40	46
Terpinolene	36	68	58	55	88	40	—	66
Ocimene	40	72	60	70	62	46	66	—

Highest scores in the matrix sit on the caryophyllene ↔ humulene axis (92) and the pinene ↔ terpinolene axis (88) — both reflect known biosynthetic siblings. Used live by the Weed.de pharmacy console when a cultivar is out of stock.

IV. The compliance frame

How to talk about a terpene without making a claim.

Generalized template the pharmacist may apply to any of the eight terpenes — and to any cultivar carrying them. Reviewed under §3 HWG (Heilmittelwerbegesetz) and the Apothekenbetriebsordnung.

Two columns. One on each side of the line.

Cannabis-medical advertising in Germany is governed by §3 HWG. The line is between describing a product (permitted) and recommending it for an indication (not permitted). The script template below holds that line in normal counter conversation — the pharmacist may quote any line on the left verbatim, and may not say anything on the right.

A pharmacist may say

01"This cultivar's terpene profile is [terpene]-dominant."
02"[Terpene] is the same compound that gives [food source — e.g. lemons, hops, lavender] its aroma."
03"Patients sometimes describe the experience of this profile as [organoleptic adjectives — e.g. floral, peppery, citrus]."
04"This cultivar is genetically [sativa-leaning / indica-leaning / hybrid]."
05"The closest profile match in stock today is [substitute SKU]. The match score is [n]/100."
06"Here is the product information sheet from Weed.de."

A pharmacist may not say

01"This will help with [condition / symptom]."
02"[Terpene] reduces / treats / prevents / cures [anything]."
03"I would recommend this cultivar for [condition]."
04"This is better / more effective / more potent than [other product]."
05"Other patients with [your condition] use this one."
06Any direct or implied therapeutic claim, including via gesture, comparison, or qualified statement.