[2] The biosynthesis of flavones has not yet been elucidated in full; however, most of the mechanistic and enzymatic steps have been discovered and studied.

In biosynthesizing tricin, there is first stepwise addition of malonyl-CoA via the polyketide pathway and p-coumaroyl-CoA via the phenylpropanoid pathway.

CYP93G1 of the CYP450 superfamily in rice then desaturates naringenin into apigenin.

After this step, it is proposed that flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase (F3',5'H) changes apigenin into tricetin.

Three flavonolignans derived from tricin have been isolated from oats Avena sativa.