Description

Ylang-ylang, also spelled ilang-ilang, also called perfume tree, (Cananga odorata), South Asian tree of the custard apple family (Annonaceae), in the order Magnoliales. A penetrating but evanescent perfume is distilled from its flowers. Sometimes called cananga tree, is a tropical tree that is native to India, through parts of Indochina, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, to Queensland, Australia.^[1] It is valued for the perfume extracted from its flowers, called ylang-ylang /ˈiːlæŋ ˈiːlæŋ/ EE-lang-EE-lang^[2] (a name also sometimes used for the tree itself), which is an essential oil used in aromatherapy. The tree is also called the fragrant cananga, Macassar-oil plant, or perfume tree.

Characteristics:

Cananga odorata is a fast-growing tree of the custard apple family Annonaceae. Its growth exceeds 5 m (16 ft) per year, and it attains an average height of 12 m (39 ft) in an ideal climate.^{[citation needed]} The evergreen leaves are smooth and glossy, oval, pointed and with wavy margins, and 13–21 cm (5–8.5 in) long. The flower is drooping, long-stalked, with six narrow, greenish-yellow (rarely pink) petals, rather like a sea star in appearance, and yields a highly fragrant essential oil. Its pollen is shed as permanent tetrads. Cananga odorata var. fruticosa, dwarf ylang-ylang, grows as small tree or compact shrub with highly scented flowers.

Uses:

The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. It is believed to relieve high blood pressure and normalize sebum secretion for skin problems, and is considered to be an aphrodisiac. The oil from ylang-ylang is widely used in perfumery for oriental- or floral-themed perfumes (such as Chanel No. 5). Ylang-ylang blends well with most floral, fruit and wood scents.