Developmental Stages and Varietal Variation in Floral Scent of White vs. Pink Styrax japonicus Petals

Styrax japonicus is a widely cultivated ornamental plant, prized for its prolific, delicate flowers and distinctive floral scent. This study employed volatilomics to analyze the floral scent profiles of two S. japonicus varieties—pink‐ and white‐flowered—across three developmental stages: prebloom (S1), full‐bloom (S2), and postpeak (S3). A total of 230 aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified across all samples. Furthermore, while VOC composition remained consistent between varieties throughout development, their concentrations increased progressively, reaching 3.19‐fold (pink) and 1.91‐fold (white) higher relative abundance at S3 compared to S1. Notably, pink petals exhibited significantly higher VOC levels during S2 and S3 than white ones. Additionally, volatile monoterpenes were major aromatic VOCs, specifically cis ‐carveol, perillene, and α‐pinene oxide. Finally, the ecological interpretation of these results suggests that developmental stage‐dependent coordination between floral scent emission and color change in S. japonicus may represent an adaptive pollinator‐attraction strategy. This study provides a theoretical basis for the regulation and utilization of S. japonicus floral scent.