Floral · Natural material · Heart notes
Tuberose
Tuberose is the flower of Polianthes tuberosa, a white, night-blooming flower from Mexico, known in Indonesia as sedap malam. It smells creamy, sweet and full, like butter and honey with a green touch at first. In perfume, tuberose usually sits in the heart notes and easily becomes the centre of a blend.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does tuberose smell like?
Tuberose smells rich, creamy and sweet. It opens with a fresh, almost cool green note, then quickly turns into a soft floral scent like butter, warm coconut milk and honey.
If you have ever kept a bunch of tuberose indoors, you know the scent can fill a room. In perfume, tuberose is usually strong too, so perfumers dose it with care.
Where does tuberose come from?
Tuberose is thought to come from central and southern Mexico, where the Aztecs cultivated it. The flower was later brought to Europe and has been used in perfume since the 17th century. Today India, mainly Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, is the leading producer of tuberose for perfume.
Tuberose is solvent-extracted into a concrete, then refined into an absolute. In the past the flowers were processed by enfleurage, which captures their scent in fat. In Indonesia, sedap malam is a familiar ornamental flower and cooking ingredient, used in soups such as kimlo, and it is the official flower of East Java.
Tuberose in a perfume
Tuberose almost always sits in the heart notes. Because it is strong, tuberose often becomes the centre of a white-flower blend and gives it a full, creamy body. In small amounts, tuberose also makes other flowers feel richer.
Common partners are jasmine, orange blossom and ylang-ylang as fellow white flowers, plus coconut, vanilla and musk for extra creaminess. Tuberose is common in sweet floral perfumes.
When to wear tuberose
Tuberose is a strong note, so it suits evenings, events and air-conditioned rooms best. On a hot, humid day, one or two sprays are plenty. If you are new to it, start with a tuberose paired with citrus or lighter flowers.
