AbstractThe headspace of the dried herb of Passiflora incarnata L. (Passifloraceae) and that of the officinal lime tree drug (comprising of the dried flowers of Tilia cordata Mill. and/or T. platyphyllos Scop.; Tiliaceae) were investigated by GC, GC‐MS and GC‐FTIR. As main compounds of the headspace of P. incarnata limonene, cumene, α‐pinene, prezizaene, zizaene and zizanene, and of the headspace of lime tree flowers p‐cymene, fenchone, α‐thujone, β‐thujone, camphor, anethole and menthone were identified by GC retention time correlations and by their mass and/or IR spectra. Additionally, information on the odour impression of the headspace samples, and data obtained by a sniffing technique are given. No single compound has been found to be responsible on its own for the typical odour of these drugs.