Tomato

The tomato originated in South America, where Aztecs and other indigenous peoples cultivated it for centuries before Spanish explorers transported it to Europe in the 16th century. Initially grown as an ornamental plant, European gardeners spent generations selectively breeding varieties with larger, redder, more flavorful fruits. This long cultivation history refined not just the fruit but amplified the olfactory qualities of the plant itself, including those fresh, green, slightly woody facets of the leaves. The perfumery world remained largely unaware of these qualities until 1974, when Jean-Claude Ellena incorporated tomato leaf into Sisley Eau de Campagne. The note remained a curiosity for decades before exploding into mainstream consciousness around 2020, fueled by pandemic-era lockdowns and a cultural pivot toward natural, garden-inspired aesthetics. By 2025, tomato leaf had progressed from niche novelty to Bath & Body Works collection, proving its journey from ancient cultivation to modern scent sensation took nearly 500 years.