Ylang Ylang: another pearl of Madagascar

The ylang ylang or Cananga Odorata is a tree native to the humid tropical zones of India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. But today it has become one of the most emblematic flowers of the Big Island. It is one of the treasures to discover during your stay in Madagascar.
The Ylang-Ylang Tree (Cananga Odorata) has a widespread crown. Its flowers are yellow, golden and star-shaped. But when ripe, the bases of the petals turn red. The name ylang-ylang means flowers of flowers. It is this part that makes it very famous and sought after and is used in perfume making.

Its yellow flowers hide a precious, sweet, intense and lush fragrance. The trees grow very quickly in the first years and can grow 2 to 5 meters per year. Cananga Odorata grows mainly in humid forests with high rainfall. These trees were introduced to the Indian Ocean around the 20th century, first in Madagascar and then in Comoros and Mayotte.

Nosy Be and Ylang Ylang: hence the perfume island

In Madagascar it is in Nosy Bewhere there are more plantations of ylang ylang, so Nosy Be has become famous as the "island of perfumes". It is now even the most important agricultural resource of the island.

It should be noted that Madagascar produces more than 25% of the world production of ylang ylang.

The tree blooms throughout the year, especially between November and March, as this is the rainy season. Generally, it is the women who harvest the flowers of ylang ylang. In order to preserve the aromas as much as possible, they pick the flowers very early in the morning until 9 am. One ylang ylang plant can produce 3 to 4 kg per day.

But to have the right quality, it is necessary to sprinkle the harvest every 3 days for a week. Ylang-ylang tree can reach a height of up to 30 meters, but to facilitate picking, it must be kept at a height of 2 or 3 meters.

Its characteristics and qualities.

Ylang Ylang is used in the Perfumery world particularly famous thanks to the sweet and sensual aromas of its flowers. The exploitation of its aromas is carried out through the complete distillation of the flowers with steam. This can take dozens of hours. For this purpose, the stainless steel is still used as a material.

But besides the aromas, the essential oil extracted from Ylang Ylang is also known for its multiple effects. Being rich in esters and especially in lithanol, it acts as a cardiac sedative and hypotensive, as well as an excellent nerve balancer. On the other hand, Ylang Ylang essential oil is highly tonic at the digestive level, especially for stimulating appetite and treating a number of digestive disorders. For well-being, it is also used in various ways for hair and skin.