In the Malayan language, ylang ylang means ‘flower of flowers’ – and indeed, no tree produces blossoms with a more intensely sweet and flowery fragrance. ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) is native to south-east Asia, and grows up to 20m tall. The branches are gracefully arched like the weeping willow, and bear glossy oval-shaped leaves and an abundance of pendulous, yellow-green blooms throughout the year.

Where the trees grow, women use the flowers to decorate and perfume their hair. In 1866 the French historian Guibourt recorded a Moluccan Island recipe for a pomade (aromatic ointment) called boori-­boori, made by macerating ylang ylang flowers in coconut oil. The islanders used this to protect their hair from sea salt as they swam, and to nourish and soften the skin. During the monsoon, they applied it as a body rub to prevent infectious illness and fevers (including malaria). In Indonesia, it is customary to spread ylang ylang flowers on the bed of a couple on their wedding night. The intoxicating perfume is believed to calm the nerves and lessen inhibition.

In Victorian times the essential oil was an ingredient in the famous Macassar hair oil, used by both men and women to promote lustrous growth. Today, ylang ylang is used to create floral-type perfumes; in particular it adds an exotic sweetness to perfumes based on woody and spicy notes.

Blooms Hand Picked

Most ylang ylang oil is produced in Madagascar, Reunion and the Comoro Islands. The flowers develop their fragrance two or three weeks after the buds open. The mature blooms are gathered by hand in the early morning, when the essential oil is most concentrated. As soon as possible after collecting them, the flowers are processed by steam distillation, using equipment set up for the purpose among the trees.

In terms of fragrance quality, there are several grades of the essential oil: ylang ylang extra (sometimes labeled ’superior’), and ylang ylang 1, 2 and 3. The extra grade is collected from the first distillation; the plant material is distilled two or three more times to obtain the other ‘fractions’. There is also a ylang ylang complete, comprising the total, unseparated oil which is collected after a long process of distillation.

Cananga oil, from a related tree, is some­times sold as genuine ylang ylang, but it has a relatively harsh aroma with little tenacity. Cananga oil, along with the inferior forms of ylang ylang, is used as a fragrance material in the manufacture of soaps and detergents.

Intense And Therapeutic

Aromatherapists favor the more expensive ylang ylang extra or complete grades. Both oils are virtually colorless, with an intense, floral-balsamic fragrance reminiscent of almonds and jasmine. A good quality oil also has a spicy undertone. Surprisingly, ylang ylang complete has a lighter fragrance, although it is equally tenacious. Ylang ylang is generally perceived as a warming, intoxicating – and reputedly aphrodisiac – oil. Yet the sensual quality is inseparable from ylang ylang’s ability to relax and uplift, and instill a sense of wellbeing.

At the turn of the century, two French chemists discovered that ylang ylang was effective against malaria, typhus and other fevers. It was also found to have a regulatory effect on a weak heart action, and a calming effect on the central nervous system.

Certainly, ylang ylang is a wonderful oil for soothing nervous tension, restlessness and irritability. A few drops (no more!) added to the bath, or diluted as a massage oil, can promote sound sleep. Ylang ylang has a reputation for treating and preventing stress-related high blood pressure, palpita­tions and rapid breathing. It is also useful for premenstrual tension and depression.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Tim Betts, at the Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital in Birmingham, has discovered that ylang ylang can effectively control certain forms of epilepsy, especially when inhaled before the onset of a seizure. “The oil may contain a pharmacological agent, as yet unidentified, which reduces seizure activity.”

Blending Advice

Ylang ylang marries well with other florals, especially rose and neroli. If the intense fragrance seems too cloying, tone it down with petitgrain or bergamot. To make the aroma more ‘masculine’, blend with a combination of wood, spice and citrus oils, such as cedarwood, coriander and lemon. Ylang ylang is an excellent fixative. It slows the evaporation of more highly volatile oils, e.g. citrus and lavender, and prolongs the staying power of a blend.

Serenity blend – ‘feminine’

• 10 ml diluted ylang ylang oil
• 5 ml grapeseed or sweet almond oil
• 1 drop pure geranium essential oil
• 1 drop pure lavender essential oil

Serenity blend -’masculine’

• 5 ml diluted ylang ylang oil
• 10 ml grapeseed or sweet almond oil
• 1 drop pure frankincense essential oil
• 2 drops pure cedarwood essential oil

Massage For Lovers

Ylang ylang’s sweet, full-bodied aroma has gained it a reputation as a sensual oil. If you and your partner enjoy the fragrance, you will instinctively relax. Whilst not aphrodisiac in itself, being relaxed increases your awareness of seductive surround­ings and the attentions of a loving companion. If this captures your imagination, share one of these blends with your lover.

Sultry nights and roses

• 10 ml diluted ylang ylang oil
• 10 ml grapeseed or sweet almond oil
• 1 drop pure rose otto essential oil
• 2 drops pure grapefruit essential oil

Eastern promise

• 5 ml diluted ylang ylang
• 15 ml grapeseed or sweet almond oil
• 1 drop pure coriander essential oil
• 2 drops pure sandalwood essential oil
• 2 drops pure lemon essential oil

Safety First

Ylang ylang, and other richly floral scents, are referred to as narcotic, or intoxicating, in perfumery terms. In sufficiently high concentration they can also be intoxicating in the medical sense of the word, resulting in headache and nausea. So never exceed the recommended quantities in a recipe.

Fact File: Mandarin essential oil

• Blending Note: Middle to base
• Main Benefits: Mood lifting properties
• Price: Expensive
• Perfume Group: Sweet floral
• Safety Warning: Fragrance may cause headaches or nausea if used in high concentration

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