Green Floral is subfamily B5 of the Floral family in the SFP table. It lays a clear green note over the bouquet: a freshly snapped leaf, cut grass, stems, sometimes the slight bitterness of a pea pod.
Unlike D6 Green Chypre, B5 does not need an oakmoss and labdanum base. The green note here makes the flowers seem still on the plant, not yet picked.
In 1947 Germaine Cellier composed Vent Vert for Balmain with a prominent galbanum note. It is usually treated as the landmark of the branch. Galbanum is the resin of Ferula gummosa, with a bitter leafy, slightly resinous odour and a trace of green bell-pepper pyrazines.
Other green sources include violet leaf (C9 aldehydes, a cucumber-leaf note), cis-3-hexenol (cut grass), blackcurrant bud, fig leaf and hyacinth. The floral layer is usually lily of the valley, hyacinth, jasmine, rose and narcissus, with a light base of musks, vetiver and sometimes a touch of moss.
Lily of the valley is built with synthetic molecules; HICC and lilial are prohibited in EU cosmetics. Narcissus extract is named on the allergen list of Regulation (EU) 2023/1545.
The SFP website publishes only subfamily names; perfume lists per subfamily are in the printed Classification officielle des parfums. Perfumes named here are commonly cited examples, not official SFP placements.
B5 is close to D6 Green Chypre and to aromatic citrus scents. The difference from D6 is the base: B5 keeps a light base, so green and floral notes fill most of the time on skin. On Michael Edwards' wheel green notes have their own family, Green.
| Layer | Materials |
|---|---|
| Top | Galbanum, Violet leaf, Blackcurrant bud, cis-3-Hexenol |
| Middle | Hyacinth, Jasmine, Damask rose, Narcissus |
| Base | Vetiver, Oakmoss, Ambrette |
This branch builds well with natural materials: galbanum, violet leaf, blackcurrant bud and fig leaf for the green note; hyacinth, jasmine and narcissus absolutes for the flowers; vetiver and ambrette for the base.
Green materials are very strong; add in small steps and recheck after a few hours. Check IFRA limits and the EU allergen list. This page gives no formula percentages.
| Name | House | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vent Vert | Balmain | 1947 | Germaine Cellier. Galbanum at a high level. |
| cis-3-Hexenol · Hexenol 3 | Cut grass odour. |
| Green notes · Galbanum · Violet leaf · Blackcurrant bud · Fig leaf | Natural sources for B5. |
| Flowers of B5 · Hyacinth · Narcissus · Jasmine | Middle layer. |
Updated 09/2026. Figures follow the year stated in each source.
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