Cananga odorata, commonly called
Ylang-ylang (icon ), cananga tree,
ilang-ilang,
kenanga (Indonesian),
fragrant cananga,
Macassar-oil plant or
perfume tree),
is a tree valued for its perfume. The
essential oilAn essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...
derived from the flowers is used in
aromatherapyAromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or health....
.
Artabotrys odoratissimus,
ylang-ylang vine, and
ArtabotrysArtabotrys There are over 100 species of Old World tropics, with 31 species in Africa. It is part of the custard family. All are woody small trees or shrubs with recurved hooks with a tendency to climb. Leaves are simple and alternate, without hairs. Bisexual flowers are borne singly or in cluster...
hexapetalus,
climbing ylang-ylang, are woody, evergreen climbing plants in the same family;
A. odoratissimus is also a source of perfume.
Description
Cananga odorata is a fast-growing tree of the
custard-appleThe tree also grows in Egypt,but the fruit is quite greenish in color not brown or yellowish.The common name for the fruit in Egypt is "Kishta".The custard-apple, also called bullock's heart or bull's heart, is the fruit of the tree Annona reticulata...
family,
AnnonaceaeAnnonaceae, also called the custard apple familyis a family of flowering plants consisting of trees, shrubs or rarely lianas.With about 2300 to 2500 species and more than 130 genera,...
, that exceeds 5 m (15 ft) per year and attains an average height of 12 m (40 ft). It grows in full or partial sun, and prefers the acidic soils of its native rainforest habitat. The evergreen leaves are smooth and glossy, oval, pointed, with wavy margins, and 13–20 cm (5–8 in) long. The flower is drooping, long-stalked, with six narrow greenish yellow (rarely pink) petals, rather like a
sea starStarfish or sea stars are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. The names "starfish" and "sea star" essentially refer to members of the class Asteroidea...
in appearance, and yields a highly fragrant essential oil.
Cananga odorata var.
fruticosa, dwarf ylang-ylang, grows as small tree or compact shrub with highly scented flowers.
Ylang-ylang has been cultivated in temperate climates under conservatory conditions.
Its clusters of black fruit are an important food item for birds, such as the
Collared Imperial-pigeonThe Collared Imperial Pigeon, , is a large pigeon with grey upperparts and largely grey-pink underparts, distinguished by a striking and diagnostic complete black collar against an otherwise white throat.-Distribution:Northern and southern New Guinea and the Aru Islands...
,
Purple-tailed Imperial-pigeonThe Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is found in West Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Zoe's Imperial-pigeon,
Superb Fruit-doveThe Superb Fruit Dove , also known as the Purple-crowned Fruit Dove , is a medium-sized , colourful fruit-dove in the family Columbidae....
,
Pink-spotted Fruit-doveThe Pink-spotted Fruit Dove is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is found in forest and woodland in lowland and foothills of New Guinea and nearby smaller islands. It is widespread and generally common. As most other fruit-doves, it is largely green...
,
Coroneted Fruit-doveThe Coroneted Fruit Dove is a species of bird in the Columbidae family.It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea....
,
Orange-bellied Fruit-doveThe Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus iozonus, is a small pigeon with mainly green plumage, distinguished by a large orange patch on the lower breast and belly, a small lilac shoulder patch, pale yellow undertail coverts, and a grey terminal band on the tail.-Distribution and habitat:The dove...
, and
Wompoo Fruit-doveThe Wompoo Fruit Dove , also known as Wompoo Pigeon, is the largest of Fruit Doves native to New Guinea and Australia.-Description:...
.
Chemical constituents
Typical chemical compositions of the various grades of Ylang ylang are reported as follows:
- Linalool
- Geranyl acetate
- Caryophyllene
Caryophyllene , or -β-caryophyllene, is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that is a constituent of many essential oils, especially clove oil, the oil from the stems and flowers of Syzygium aromaticum , the essential oil of hemp Cannabis sativa, rosemary Rosmarinus oficinalis, and hops...
- p-cresyl methyl ether
- Methyl benzoate
Methyl benzoate is an ester with the chemical formula C6H5COOCH3. It is formed by the condensation of methanol and benzoic acid, in presence of a strong acid such as hydrochloric acid. It is a colorless liquid that is poorly soluble in water, but miscible with organic solvents.-Reactions:Methyl...
- Sesquiterpene
Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be acyclic or contain rings, including many unique combinations...
s
Etymology
The name
ylang-ylang is derived from
TagalogTagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, either from the word
ilang, meaning "wilderness", alluding to its natural habitat, or the word
ilang-ilan, meaning "rare", suggestive of its exceptionally delicate scent. A more widely accepted translation is "flower of flowers".
The plant is native to the
PhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and
IndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and is commonly grown in
PolynesiaPolynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
,
MelanesiaMelanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
,
MicronesiaMicronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
and Comoros Islands.
Characteristics
The fragrance of ylang-ylang is rich and deep with notes of
rubberNatural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
and
custardCustard is a variety of culinary preparations based on a cooked mixture of milk or cream and egg yolk. Depending on how much egg or thickener is used, custard may vary in consistency from a thin pouring sauce , to a thick pastry cream used to fill éclairs. The most common custards are used as...
, and bright with hints of
jasmineJasminum , commonly known as jasmines, is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family . It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World...
and
neroliNeroli oil is a plant oil produced from the blossom of the bitter orange tree . Its scent is sweet, honeyed and somewhat metallic, whereas bergamot, being rich in linalool , has more of an aromatic, soft, floralcy.- Production :The blossoms are gathered, usually by hand, in late April to...
. The
essential oilAn essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...
of the flower is obtained through steam distillation of the flowers and separated into different grades (extra; 1; 2; 3) according to when the distillates are obtained. The main aromatic components of ylang-ylang oil are
benzyl acetateBenzyl acetate is an organic compound with the molecular formula C9H10O2. It is the ester formed by condensation of benzyl alcohol and acetic acid....
,
linalool, p-cresyl methyl ether, and
methyl benzoateMethyl benzoate is an ester with the chemical formula C6H5COOCH3. It is formed by the condensation of methanol and benzoic acid, in presence of a strong acid such as hydrochloric acid. It is a colorless liquid that is poorly soluble in water, but miscible with organic solvents.-Reactions:Methyl...
, responsible for its characteristic odor.
Uses
The
essential oilAn essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...
of ylang-ylang is used in
aromatherapyAromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or health....
. It is believed to relieve high blood pressure, normalize sebum secretion for skin problems, and is considered to be an
aphrodisiacAn aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable...
. According to
Margaret MeadMargaret Mead was an American cultural anthropologist, who was frequently a featured writer and speaker in the mass media throughout the 1960s and 1970s....
, it was used as such by South Pacific natives such as the
Samoan IslandsThe Samoan Islands or Samoa Islands is an archipelago covering in the central South Pacific, forming part of Polynesia and the wider region of Oceania...
where she did much of her research. The oil from ylang-ylang is widely used in
perfumePerfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and/or aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces "a pleasant scent"...
ry for oriental or floral themed perfumes (like
Chanel No. 5Chanel No. 5 is the first perfume launched by Parisian couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. The French government reports that a bottle of Chanel No. 5 is sold every thirty seconds and generates sales of $100 million a year. It was developed by Russian-French chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux...
). Ylang-ylang blends well with most floral, fruit and wood smells.
In
IndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, ylang-ylang flowers are spread on the bed of
newlywedMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
couples. In the
PhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, its flowers, together with the flowers of the sampaguita, 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
ComorosThe Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
' annual export (1998).
Ylang Ylang is a common ingredient in the herbal
motion sicknessMotion sickness or kinetosis, also known as travel sickness, is a condition in which a disagreement exists between visually perceived movement and the vestibular system's sense of movement...
product MotionEaze.