Ylang-Ylang: unsuspected properties and uses
Cananga odorata, a medicinal and aromatic plant
Ylang-Ylang, a member of the Annonaceae family, never ceases to amaze with its versatility. Used both to extract an essential oil prized in perfumery and aromatherapy, this plant also seduces with its magnificent flowers and lush foliage, making it a rare tropical plant.
The name “Ylang-Ylang” meaning “flower of flowers” underlines the fame of its magnificent yellow flowers with bewitching fragrance. These flowers go through a metamorphosis of colors, from white to shades of green to finally yellow with a red base. Each flower is made up of star-shaped petals. This tropical tree also produces fruits with a bitter, but pleasant taste.
The tree can reach an impressive height of 25 to 30 meters in its natural habitat. In cultivation, however, it is generally kept to a maximum height of 3 meters. In addition to its traditional uses as a medicinal plant, Cananga Odorata can also be incorporated into cooking to bring a fruity flavor to certain dishes (cake, cream, jam, etc.).
Ylang-Ylang essential oil
Ylang-ylang essential oil benefits
Ylang-Ylang essential oil is prized not only for its bewitching fragrance, but also for its many benefits. Recognized for its relaxing and soothing properties, it helps relieve stress, anxiety and sleep disorders. What’s more, its aphrodisiac and stimulating action make it invaluable for intellectual and sexual stimulation.
Cananga Odorata’s uses extend to combating a variety of ailments, including high blood pressure, painful menstruation, respiratory spasms, ENT ailments, muscular, joint and dental pain, benign heart disorders and skin problems.
It also has virtues for dull hair. Ylang-Ylang oil moisturizes and nourishes hair, leaving it supple and shiny. Its sebum-regulating properties also help regulate sebum to prevent hair from becoming greasy too quickly or, on the contrary, from becoming dry. Finally, it stimulates hair growth. To say the least, it’s a real ally in restoring vitality to your hair!
Cananga odorata fragrance
Ylang-Ylang fragrance is an intense, voluptuous floral blend, reminiscent of monoi. With notes somewhere between jasmine and carnation, it offers a unique olfactory experience. It combines both a spicy facet and a more delicate white flower scent reminiscent of jasmine.
By integrating this plant into your veranda or behind a window, you’ll benefit not only from its sweet scent, but also from a very decorative tropical plant.
How to grow Ylang ylang ?
Germinating Ylang-Ylang is extremely difficult. You need very fresh seeds, as their germination time is short. What’s more, the flowers are often harvested before they go to seed, due to the high demand for them in the perfume and cosmetics industries. This makes it a rare houseplant.
We recommend that you opt for young plants that have already completed the germination phase and started to grow. Young plants can be grown individually in pots. The size of the pots depends on the size of the root network.
Place them indoors in a warm, bright spot for optimum growth. Water regularly. It’s essential to let the surface of the soil dry out between waterings to avoid excess humidity. Your plant will tolerate lack of water better than excess.
You too can easily add a touch of tropicalism to your home by growing this magnificent plant. If you decide to buy a Ylang-Ylang plant, you’ll transform your home into a place imbued with the exoticism of this rare plant.
Care of a Ylang-ylang tree ?
Ylang-Ylang is characterized by rapid growth and evergreen foliage, offering a rewarding growing experience for exotic plant enthusiasts. However, Cananga odorata won’t start flowering until two years after planting. After that, you’ll be able to enjoy a plant in flower almost all year round.
Two repottings are required in spring and autumn to prevent the roots from becoming cramped and the plant from stopping growing. To do this, at each repotting, increase the pot size according to the root network. Also, don’t hesitate to prune any branches that grow too large, as this will help the plant to branch out.
In conclusion, Ylang-Ylang is much more than an ordinary houseplant. It offers a palette of benefits, intoxicating fragrances and magnificent flowers. We can only advise you to get hold of this rare plant now, and turn your home into a veritable cocoon where well-being and exoticism meet.
Take a look at our online boutique, packed with carefully selected tropical plants for a unique experience.
