Cananga (Ylang Ylang)
CANANGA
Cananga odorata (C. odorata)
Common Name
Family
Chinese Medicine Name
None
Ayurvedic Name
None
Parts Used
Flower, bark (traditional medicine)
Actions
Energetics
Calming, uplifting, cooling
Edible Uses
Used as a food additive for its fruity fragrance. Not typically eaten whole or raw yet not known to be toxic. The dried flowers may be used in tea.
Native To
Tropical forests of the Pacific region including Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Northern Australia
Geographic Distribution
Naturalized in Southern India and other island countries of the Indian and Pacific Oceans including Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Mariana and Caroline Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Southern China and Taiwan, Carribeans including Cuba, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Central American and tropical countries in South America.
Botanical Description & Identification
The Cananga tree, or Ylang Ylang, is a woody evergreen with climbing vines. It is a fast growing tree of the custard apple family (Annonaceae) which can grow up to 16ft per year, with an average height of 39ft when in a healthy state. The leaves are smooth and glossy with oval leaflets and wavy indents. The ylang ylang flower droops with six greenish-yellow narrow petals and is sometimes compared to having a similar shape to that of a sea star. Several fruits develop from each flower. These compound fruits are comprised of 6−12 (occasionally up to 20) berries borne in axillary clusters. The fleshy, olive- like berries are ovoid or obovoid 1.5−2.3 cm long, glabrous, dark green to black when ripe, each containing 2−12 (usually 4−5) hard, flattened ovoid, pale brown, pitted seeds 6 mm or more in diameter, arranged in two rows, embedded in an oily nearly tasteless yellow pulp. Dwarf ylang ylang grows similarly but as a more compact type of shrub.
Key Constituents
Linalool, germacrene, geranyl acetate, caryophyllene, p-cresyl methyl ether, methyl benzoate, sequiterpenes, cpaene, cadinene, esters, alpha-farnesene
Sustainability Issues
Ylang ylang is over-harvested in some regions of world due to its high popularity for the commercial perfume industry. It is important to buy only from producers who do not participate in wild-harvesting of the trees and who instead cultivate their own using sustainable practices.
Harvesting Guidelines
Ylang ylang flowers are harvested only when they have fully ripened to a deep yellow color with a red center and their oils are at their peak. In some parts of the world the flowers grow year-round but in climates with more fluctuating weather they bloom twice a year. The optimal time of day to harvest ylang ylang, according to Dr. Gary Young, is from 12-4AM as the oils recede during the hot day as a means of preservation. The oils are most potent between 15-20 days after the flowers have bloomed. To extract the purest and highest quality oil they are steam distilled within 24 hours of harvest. The dried flowers not used for essential oils may be saved to use in more traditional herbal therapies such as in tea, poltice, oil and alcohol extracts. Cultivated trees grow their flowers at a younger age compared to their wild counterparts.
Ylang ylang is known to:
*Increase blood flow
*Rejuvenate heartbeat
*Uplift mood
*Promote positive intestinal function
*Relieve inflammation
*Dispel parasites
*Lower high blood pressure
*Relax the mind
*Lower stress response
*Prevent abnormal skin cells (skin cancer)
*Energize the body & mind
*Prevent dandruff
*Prevent hair loss
*Increase libido
*Repel bugs
Ylang ylang is useful in the following more common disorders and diseases:
Maleria, blood pressure disorders, stress, depression, hypertension, tachycardia, pneumonia, asthma, stomachache, epilepsy, headache, gout, ophthalmia, ulcers, fever, thinning hair, insomnia
Most common uses:
Most commonly used as a fragrance or in skin and beauty products.
Fun Facts:
Ylang Ylang is:
* Sometimes exceptionally large for a flowering tree. Though not common some
have been known to grow up to 60ft tall.
* Well known as a fragrant pollinator. Cultivating ylang ylang helps the bee
population increase.
* Is a traditional symbol of love in its native homes. Used in wedding ceremonies as
decor and in bridal fashion accessories; the oil is given as a wedding gift.
References
Battaglia, S. Perfect Potion, Essential Oil Monographs. (2019)
Cananga odorata (LAM.) HOOK. F. & THOMS., 1855
Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Hoffman, D. (1987). The Herbal Handbook: A User's Guide to Medical Herbalism.
McIntyre, A. (2019). The Complete Herbal Tutor: The Definitive Guide to the
Principles and Practices of Herbal Medicine. Wood, M. (2008).
The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants
Tan, L., Learn, L., Wai, Y., et. al. Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Bioactivities of Cananga odonate (Ylang-Ylang). Volume 2015. Article ID 896314. Hindawi Evidence Based and Complimentary Medicine.
White Rabbit Institute of Healing. 2023
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