What are terpenes?
Walk past a citrus grove, a pine forest, and a lavender field, and you'll experience three radically different aromas. The molecules behind those aromas are called terpenes — and they're the same molecules that give every cannabis cultivar its distinct character.
Terpenes are hydrocarbons produced by plants, primarily as a defense mechanism — they deter pests, attract pollinators, and protect against UV stress. Across the plant kingdom there are over 20,000 known terpenes. Cannabis produces roughly 200, with around 20 showing up at concentrations high enough to influence aroma and effect.
The top five terpenes in cannabis
Myrcene is the most common terpene in modern cannabis cultivars. It carries an earthy, slightly sweet, herbaceous aroma — also found in mangoes, hops, and thyme. Cultivars with dominant myrcene profiles are typically classified as indica-leaning.
Limonene is the citrus terpene — present in citrus peel, juniper, and rosemary. Cultivars with dominant limonene profiles often have bright, lemon-and-orange-forward aromas and are associated with uplifted, daytime-leaning effects.
Caryophyllene carries pepper, clove, and warm-spice notes. It's the same terpene found in black pepper and cinnamon. Interestingly, caryophyllene is the only terpene that also binds to cannabinoid receptors directly (CB2), making it pharmacologically distinct.
Pinene is exactly what it sounds like — the dominant terpene in pine needles, rosemary, and basil. Cultivars with pinene-forward profiles often present as bright, focused, herbal.
Linalool is the lavender terpene. Also present in coriander and rosewood, linalool is associated with calming, evening-leaning effects.
Why terpenes matter more than THC
For decades, cannabis was sold by THC percentage — a single number that's now widely understood to be a poor predictor of effect. Two cultivars at 22% THC can produce wildly different experiences depending on their terpene profiles.
Modern cannabis researchers describe this as the entourage effect: the combined effect of cannabinoids and terpenes is greater than the sum of each compound in isolation. The implication for shoppers: read the terpene panel, not just the THC number.
How to read a terpene panel
A proper Certificate of Analysis (COA) lists each terpene with a percentage by weight. A typical "terpene-rich" cultivar tests at 1.5–3% total terpenes by weight; below 1% is considered low. The dominant terpene is usually whichever appears at the highest percentage. Most COAs we trust report the top 20+ terpenes; less rigorous labs report only the top three or five.
At FLIGHT, every product page lists the dominant terpene and the supporting panel. If you find a cultivar you like, note the terpene profile — you'll likely enjoy others with similar profiles, regardless of whether they're labeled sativa, indica, or hybrid.