CITRONELLA

Citronella brings a lemony, grassy character to perfume, combining citrus-like brightness with green herbal nuances. Java-type oil can smell gently sweet, with a softer woody impression as it develops. This is the scent of an aromatic grass, rather than an oil pressed from lemon or citron peel. Its balance of lemon and greenery can give a fragrance a different texture from a straightforward fruit note.

Two familiar types are Cymbopogon winterianus, known as Java citronella, and Cymbopogon nardus, the Ceylon type. Their oils are distilled from the above-ground plant material, including leaves; the type names do not by themselves establish where a particular oil was grown. The species and material influence the scent, while a citronella note in a fragrance description does not confirm the presence of either natural oil.