Stinging Nettle Leaf Absolute — Urtica dioica | Green Herbaceous | H Reynaud Fils, France

Part of our Professional Perfumers Range — curated for the discerning natural perfumer seeking exceptional depth and rarity.

Stinging Nettle Leaf Absolute — The Wild Green That Perfumers Seek

The stinging nettle is one of the most abundant and least glamorous plants in the European countryside — a weed of hedgerows, riverbanks, and neglected corners that most people encounter only through the sharp sting of accidental contact. Yet its absolute, solvent extracted from the fresh leaves of Urtica dioica by the specialist house H Reynaud Fils of France, is one of the most genuinely unusual and rewarding green materials available to the natural perfumer — a dark brownish-green, viscous but pourable liquid that captures the wild, herbaceous, summery character of the plant in concentrated form.

H Reynaud Fils, established in 1898, is one of the oldest and most respected essential oil and absolute houses in the United Kingdom, sourcing directly from specialist French producers with over 125 years of accumulated expertise. Their stinging nettle leaf absolute is produced from Urtica dioica grown on unpolluted, sustainably managed land in France — a material of genuine rarity that rewards the curious and adventurous perfumer willing to step outside the conventional floral and resinous palette.

Scent Profile

Green, herbaceous, and immediately evocative of the outdoor world — the stinging nettle leaf absolute opens with a clean, slightly sharp, deeply green character that recalls fresh-cut nettles in a summer hedgerow, threaded with a faint floralness that softens the rawer green edge into something more complex and genuinely beautiful. There is a quality of summer meadow about it — warm sun on wild plants, the particular green that belongs to British and French countryside in July — that gives it an unusual power to evoke place and season in a composition.

The drydown is earthy and gently herbaceous, with good tenacity for such an apparently delicate material.

Perfumery Applications

Stinging nettle leaf absolute is primarily a character and modifier note — a green accent that adds an unmistakable wild, botanical authenticity to compositions where cultivated florals alone feel insufficient. In green compositions it adds a naturalness that no other single material provides; in fougères it contributes a wild, herbaceous character alongside lavender and oakmoss; in aquatic and marine structures its fresh green quality deepens the accord with botanical credibility.

It is particularly effective in compositions that seek to evoke the English or French countryside, woodland walks, or the particular green freshness of early summer. Use at modest concentrations — a supporting role suits this material better than centre stage.

Blending Suggestions

Pairs beautifully with violet leaf, galbanum, oakmoss, lavender absolute, bergamot, clary sage, geranium, cedarwood, vetiver, labdanum, green tea absolute, and marine accords. The combination with violet leaf produces an unusually refined green accord — the two wild plant materials complementing each other with great naturalness.

Technical Details

• Botanical Name: Urtica dioica L.
• Common Name: Stinging Nettle
• Botanical Family: Urticaceae
• Supplier: H Reynaud Fils, established 1898, France
• CAS Number: 84012-40-8
• EINECS Number: 281-685-5
• Origin: France
• Plant Part: Leaves
• Extraction Method: Solvent extraction (absolute)
• Classification: Middle to base note
• Appearance: Mobile liquid — supplied in DPG carrier for ease of handling, standard industry practice
• Odour Family: Green / Herbaceous / Wild / Earthy
• Natural: Yes — 100% pure natural absolute

Packaging

1ml sample supplied in a 5ml clear flint glass bottle. 5ml and 10ml supplied in amber glass bottles — all with inbuilt droppers and tamper evident caps.

Safety Information

For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes and sensitive areas. Not suitable for use on babies, children, pets or broken skin. Avoid use during pregnancy or whilst nursing. Always dilute properly and perform a patch test before first use.

Sample Policy

We recommend purchasing a 1ml sample first before committing to larger quantities. Please note that no refunds can be offered on opened items.

Photo images are for illustrative purposes only.