Terpene Series: Pinene

There are two forms of pinene: alpha-pinene and beta-pinene. Alpha-pinene is more prevalent in cannabis and the most abundant terpenoid found in nature.
One of the reasons for pinene’s abundance in nature is that it’s found in coniferous trees such as fir, pine and spruce which are found on 11% of the earth’s surface.

In the natural world, pinene acts as an insect repellant. Commercially, pinene is isolated and added to a wide range of products, from bug spray to confectionery and beverages.

Pinene is easy to identify in cannabis, more so than many other terpenes, because the pine scent is so strong and distinct. Pinene effects on the cannabis experience will vary depending on the strain, with some infusing energy and others facilitating relaxation.

Fun Fact - One unusual potential use of pinene is as a biofuel in spark-ignition engines. That's because a pinene dimer (two identical pinene molecules linked together) may have volumetric heating values that rank as high as rocket fuel.

Pinene has a boiling point of 185 Degrees Celsius