The climbing ylang-ylang vine,Artabotrys hexapetalus[5] (synonymA. odoratissimus) is a woody, evergreen climbing plant in the same family, which is also a source of perfume.[6]
The nameylang-ylang is theSpanish spelling of theTagalog term for the tree,ilang-ilang - areduplicative form of the wordilang, meaning "wilderness", alluding to the tree's natural habitat.[7] A common mistranslation is "flower of flowers".[6]
The tree is also called the fragrant cananga, Macassar-oil plant, or perfume tree.[8][9] It is calledkenanga inMalay, fromProto-Malayo-Polynesian *kanaŋa.[10] Its traditional Polynesian names includemataʻoi (Cook Islands),mohokoi (Tonga),mosoʻoi (Samoa),motoʻoi (Hawaii), andmokosoi,mokasoi ormokohoi (Fiji).[11] Other traditional names includesampangi (Telugu).[12]
Cananga odorata is a fast-growing tree of thecustard apple familyAnnonaceae. Its growth exceeds 5 m (16 ft) per year, and it attains an average height of 12 m (39 ft) in an idealclimate.[6] Thecompound evergreen leaves arepinnate, smooth and glossy, and 13–21 cm (5–8.5 in) long. Leaflets are oval, pointed and with wavy margins. The flower is drooping, long-stalked, with six narrow, greenish-yellow (rarely pink) petals, rather like asea star in appearance, and yields a highly fragrantessential oil. Its pollen is shed as permanent tetrads.[13]
Cananga odorata var.fruticosa, dwarf ylang-ylang, grows as small tree or compact shrub.
The essential oil is used inaromatherapy. It is believed to relievehigh blood pressure and normalizesebum secretion for skin problems, and is considered to be anaphrodisiac. The oil from ylang-ylang is widely used inperfumery for oriental- or floral-themed perfumes (such asChanel No. 5). Ylang-ylang blends well with most floral, fruit, and wood scents.
In Indonesia, ylang-ylang flowers are spread on the bed ofnewlywed couples. In the Philippines, its flowers, together with the flowers of thesampaguita, are strung into a necklace (lei) and worn by women and used to adorn religious images.
Ylang-ylang's essential oil makes up 29% of the Comoros' annual export (1998).[18]
Ylang-ylang is grown in Madagascar and exported globally for its essential oils.[19]
Ylang-ylang essential oil is one of the basic ingredients ofmacassar oil.
Thefragrance of ylang-ylang is rich and deep with notes ofrubber andcustard, and bright with hints ofjasmine andneroli, thus it is sometimes described as heavy, sweet, and carries a slightly fruity floral scent. Theessential oil of the flower is obtained through steam distillation of the flowers and separated into different grades (extra, 1, 2, or 3) according to when the distillates are obtained. The main aromatic components of ylang-ylang oil arebenzyl acetate,linalool,p-cresyl methyl ether, andmethyl benzoate, responsible for its characteristic odor.[20]
^NPCS Board of Consultants & Engineers (2007).The Complete Technology Book on Flavours, Fragrances and Perfumes. Niir Project Consultancy Services. p. 392.ISBN9788190439886.
^Landers, G.J.B. (1992). "The effect of social and economic changes and trens in fashion and their effects on international perfumery marketing". In Van Toller, S.; Dodd, G.H. (eds.).Fragrance: The psychology and biology of perfume. Elsevier Science Publishers Ltd. p. 268.ISBN9781851668724.
^Duke, James A. (2018).Handbook of Medicinal Herbs: Herbal Reference Library. CRC Press.ISBN9781351089579.
^p. 12 In: Vanoverbergh, Morice (1968).Iloko-English Dictionary:Rev. Andres Carro's Vocabulario Iloco-Español. Catholic School Press,Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Baguio City, Philippines. 370pp.
^Walker JW (1971) Pollen Morphology, Phytogeography, and Phylogeny of the Annonaceae. Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University, 202: 1-130.
^Royal Berglee, PhD (17 June 2016)."13.1 The Pacific Islands".World Regional Geography: People, Places and Globalization. Archived fromthe original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved6 February 2024.
^Frith, H.J.; Rome, F.H.J.C. & Wolfe, T.O. (1976): Food of fruit-pigeons in New Guinea.Emu 76(2): 49-58.HTML abstract
^Manner, Harley and Craig Elevitch,Traditional Tree Initiative: Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry (2006), Permanent Agricultural Resources, Honolulu, Hi.
Elevitch, Craig (ed.) (2006):Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands: Their Culture, Environment and Use. Permanent Agricultural Resources Publishers, Honolulu.ISBN0-9702544-5-8
Manner, Harley & Elevitch, Craig (ed.) (2006):Traditional Tree Initiative: Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry. Permanent Agricultural Resources Publishers, Honolulu.
Davis, Patricia (2000):"Aromatherapy An A-Z". Vermilion:Ebury Publishing, London.
