What caryophyllene is

A spicy terpene, and the only one known to bind a cannabinoid receptor directly.

Strains listing it

3,439

Average listed THC

21.3%

Aroma

Spicy

Also found in

black pepper, copaiba balsam

Beta-caryophyllene is a spicy-smelling sesquiterpene common to black pepper and copaiba balsam.

It is unusual among terpenes: it is a selective, full agonist at the CB2 cannabinoid receptor, the only terpene known to interact with the endocannabinoid system. A 2011 review in the British Journal of Pharmacology called it the first proven phytocannabinoid outside the cannabis genus, and noted that it is a non-toxic part of the diet.

That mechanism is real, but the CB2 evidence comes from studies in mice, and how terpenes shape the effects of cannabis in people has not been established.

Caryophyllene in our catalogue

3,439 published strains list caryophyllene: 1,108 indica (32%), 2,025 hybrid (59%) and 306 sativa (9%), averaging 21.3% listed THC. The flavour notes they carry most often are earthy, sweet, fruity, pine and woody.

Counts are computed from our published strain catalogue at page load. Terpene listings describe a cultivar’s reported profile rather than an assay of any particular batch. The idea that terpene content shapes the felt effects of cannabis, the “entourage effect”, remains unproven in people, and nothing here should be read as a medical claim. For adults 19+.

Sources: Russo (2011), Taming THC, British Journal of Pharmacology; Terpenes/terpenoids in cannabis: are they important? (review, PMC).