Conifer Citrus Woody is subfamily E2 of the Woody family in the SFP table. As the SFP describes it, these are woody compositions in which pine oil plays an important part, with citrus at the top. The structure therefore has three fairly distinct layers: bright citrus peel, resinous cool needles, then dry wood in the base.
Conifers in perfumery are not only pine. Fir, spruce, cypress and juniper all give green resinous notes, with alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and bornyl acetate as common constituents.
The top usually uses bergamot, lemon, grapefruit or mandarin. The heart is the conifers: Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Siberian fir, black spruce, cypress and juniper, sometimes with lavender or rosemary. The base is Virginia cedar, vetiver, oakmoss or synthetic woody molecules. Fir balsam absolute and black spruce absolute give the base a sweet resinous tone, darker than the needle oils.
Materials from the pine family (Pinaceae) fall under an IFRA specification standard: they should be used only with peroxide levels kept as low as practicable, since oxidised terpenes can sensitise skin. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 adds to the allergen list Pinus mugo and Pinus pumila oils, turpentine, pinene, bergamot peel oil, lemon peel oil and Virginia cedarwood oil. Bergamot also contains furocoumarins such as bergapten, so the FCF grade is usually chosen for leave-on products.
Pino Silvestre, created in 1955 in Venice by Lino Vidal, is often cited as a men's fragrance that takes pine as both its name and its theme. The brand's website now describes the original as a woody aromatic built on juniper and citrus. Whether it belongs to E2 or E5 has not been published by the SFP online.
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.
E2 is close to E5 Aromatic Woody: both open cool and green. The difference lies in the lead of the heart. In E2 pine and conifer resin lead; in E5, according to the SFP, it is often lavender and herbs. E2 also differs from the Hesperidic family (family A): there citrus makes up most of the structure, while in E2 citrus only opens the way for conifers and wood.
| Layer | Materials |
|---|---|
| Top | Bergamot FCF, Lemon (expressed), Grapefruit, Mandarin, Limonene |
| Middle | Pine (Scots), Linh sam Siberia, Spruce (black), Cypress, Juniper, alpha-Pinene, Bornyl acetate |
| Base | Cedarwood (Virginian), Vetiver, Oakmoss, Balsam fir absolute, Black spruce absolute |
This branch is easy to build entirely with natural materials. FCF bergamot, lemon and grapefruit give the opening; Scots pine, Siberian fir, cypress and juniper give the conifers; Virginia cedar, vetiver and fir balsam absolute give the base.
Conifer oils oxidise quickly, so they need sealed, dark, cool storage, and antioxidants may be added in line with the IFRA specification. Pinene and the oils named on the EU allergen list must be counted for labelling. This page gives no formula percentages.
| Name | House | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pino Silvestre | Vidal (now MaVive) | 1955 | Lino Vidal, Venice. Pine as name and theme, with juniper and citrus; SFP placement not published. |
| Conifer and citrus constituents · Pinene alpha · Pinene beta · Bornyl acetate · Camphene · Limonene · Bergapten | Pinene, bornyl acetate, limonene, bergapten. |
| Conifers · Pine scots · Fir needle siberian · Spruce black · Cypress · Juniperberry | The heart of E2. |
| Cam chanh · Bergamot fcf · Lemon expressed · Grapefruit · Mandarin | The opening. |
| Woods and moss · Cedarwood virginian · Vetiver · Oakmoss | Base. |
Updated 09/2026. Figures follow the year stated in each source.
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