Constituent · Monoterpene hydrocarbon
γ-terpinene
A herbaceous monoterpene common in tea tree and citrus; oxidises to less desirable compounds over time.
Essential oils richest in γ-terpinene
Measured relative composition (GC peak-area %) pooled across published GC-MS samples — median, typical range (middle 50%) and the maximum seen.
| Oil | Median | Typical range | Max | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumin | 14.23% | 13.75%–14.42% | 23.27% | 10 |
| Lemon eucalyptus | 12.11% | 8.7%–15.51% | 18.91% | 2 |
| Lime | 11.47% | 10.4%–14.61% | 18.25% | 36 |
| Marjoram | 10.53% | 9.73%–12.75% | 18.1% | 34 |
| Lemon | 9.32% | 7.31%–11.11% | 13% | 23 |
| Thyme | 9% | 4.6%–13.05% | 34.63% | 86 |
| Tangerine | 8.8% | 1.6%–13.18% | 48.56% | 29 |
| Lemongrass | 7.8% | 4.18%–9.64% | 11.47% | 3 |
| Tea tree | 7.32% | 2.2%–18.09% | 21.46% | 7 |
| Bergamot | 6.38% | 5.25%–9.17% | 11.95% | 3 |
| Oregano | 5.45% | 1.82%–7.95% | 19.7% | 26 |
| Coriander | 4.29% | 2.21%–7.09% | 14.4% | 30 |
| Cajeput | 3.68% | 3.59%–3.76% | 3.85% | 2 |
| Nutmeg | 2.9% | 1.5%–4.78% | 7.32% | 34 |
| Grapefruit | 2.43% | 0.9%–3.17% | 4.06% | 10 |
| Juniper | 2.05% | 0.64%–5.33% | 7.8% | 12 |
| Eucalyptus globulus | 2% | 1.11%–3.6% | 90.14% | 9 |
| Blue tansy | 1.65% | 1.65%–1.65% | 1.65% | 1 |
| Rosemary | 1.02% | 0.58%–2.11% | 9.63% | 53 |
| Yarrow | 0.96% | 0.45%–1.1% | 1.89% | 13 |
Oils in our library are linked above — open any profile for its full composition, safety panel and the research behind it.
Related constituents
Other monoterpene hydrocarbon compounds across the oils.
Figures are GC peak-area percentages pooled across published GC-MS samples, not concentrations, and describe chemistry — not health effects. How this is built →