Evaluation of volatile compounds in tea chrysanthemum cultivars and elite hybrids

•170 volatile compounds were detected in 41 tea chrysanthemum cultivars and hybrids.•The tea chrysanthemums could be separated into two groups based on their volatiles.•Several volatiles were found to be potential markers for future cultivar identification.•Three varieties were identified as potential donors for future quality improvement.•The findings help understand the diversity of volatiles and are conducive to developing new tea chrysanthemum varieties.