Building an Encyclopedia of Fragrant Materials from the Black Diaspora for Scent-making and Perfumery

This List is not Definitive, Your Contributions are Welcome! 

See a needed correction? Please get in touch : ) I hope you'll find something here to inspire you!

 

African Blue Grass (Cymbopogon validus) ~ South Africa

African Geranium (Pelargonium sidoides) ~ South Africa

African Rum Resinoid ~ West Africa

Alligator Pepper, Grains of Paradise (Afromomum meleguetea) ~ West Africa

Allspice (Pimenta officinalis) ~ Jamaica, Caribbean

Ambrette/Musk mallow (Abelmoschus moschatus) ~ East Indies, West Indies, Africa, Australia 

Amyris (Amyris balsamifera) ~ Haiti, South America

Bay Rum (Pimenta racemosa) ~ Jamaica, Caribbean

Blue Lotus (Nymphaea caerulea flower) ~ Egypt

Broad-Tooth Sagebush (Syncolostemon latidens) ~ South Africa

Buchu (Agathosma betulina) ~ South Africa

Camwood/African Sandalwood (Osyris lanceolata) ~ Africa

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) ~ Madagascar, Caribbean

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) ~ Africa, Various 

Erica Taxifolia ~ South Africa

Eucalyptus Dives ~ South Africa, Australia

Frangipani (Plumeria) ~ Caribbean

Frankincense (Olibanum) ~ Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) ~ Africa

Golden Pagoda (Mimetes chrysanthus) ~ South Africa

Hibiscus ~ Nigeria

Honeybush (Cyclopia) ~ South Africa

Hyraceum musk (Procavia capensis) ~ South Africa

Imphepho Immortelle Helichrysum ~ South Africa

Jasmine ~ Northeast Africa, East Africa

Karo Karounde (Leptactina senegambica hook) ~ Guinea

Kunzea (Kunzea Ambigua) ~ Australia

Leleshwa/African Wild Sage/Mikalambati (Tarchonanthus camphoratus) ~ East Africa

Lemon Bush (Lippia javanica) ~ South Africa

Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) ~ Australia

Madagascar Vanilla ~ Madagascar 

Mango Leaf (Mangifera indica) ~ Egypt

Maninka Fruit (Oncoba spinosa) ~ South Africa

Mopane (Colophospermum mopane) ~ Namibia 

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) ~ Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia

Omumbiri (Commiphora wildii) ~ Namibia

Omumgorwa Myrrh (Commiphora tenuipetiolata) ~ Namibia 

Opoponax (Commiphora eyrthraea) ~ Somalia

Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica_ ~ Madagascar

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) ~ South Africa

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) ~ Caribbean, Central Africa, West Africa

Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) ~ Australia

Starry Wild Jasmine (Jasminum multipartitum) ~ South Africa

Tagetes ~ (Tagetes minuta L. var bipinata) ~ Madagascar, South America

Thiouraye Gowe ~ Senegalese scent traditions

Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) ~ Haiti

West Indian Bay Leaf (Pimenta racemosa) ~ Caribbean

Wild Rosemary (Eriocephalus africanus/racemosus) ~ South Africa

Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) ~ Comoros Islands