Moonflower

Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) is a night-blooming tropical vine in the morning-glory family. Its large, pure-white trumpet flowers unfurl in the evening, stay open through the night to attract moths, and usually close by the next morning. The blossoms give off a sweet, soft white-floral scent that is strongest after dark.

Moonflower is not distilled commercially, so in perfumery it is recreated as an accord. Perfumers draw on the same family of materials used for other white flowers: jasmine and tuberose facets, gentle indolic notes, creamy lactones and a clean, slightly green freshness. The result is typically luminous and creamy rather than sharp.

Night-blooming flowers are a long-standing theme in fragrance because their scent feels intimate and nocturnal. A moonflower note pairs naturally with vanilla, sandalwood and other soft woods, and with incense, which gives white florals a more mysterious, evening character. It generally appears in the top or heart of a composition, adding radiance above a warmer base.

If you love jasmine, tuberose or gardenia but want something softer and more moonlit, fragrances featuring moonflower are a natural next step. At Redolia Perfumery this page gathers every fragrance in our catalogue that features moonflower.