Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang)

Annonaceae (custard-apple family)

canang odorant (French); chirng, irang (Palau); derangerang, derangirang (Nauru); ilahnglahng, ilanlang (Kosrae);
ilang-ilang, alang-ilang (Guam, CNMI); ilangilang, lengileng, alangilang, pur-n-wai, pwurenwai, seir en wai
(Pohnpei); ilanilan (Marshall Islands); lanalana (Hawaii); makosoi, mokohoi, makasui, mokosoi (Fiji); mohokoi (Ton-
ga); mosooi (Samoa); motoi (Society Islands); motooi, mataoi, matooi (Cook Islands, Niue, Tahiti); motoi (Marquesas
Nukuhiva, Niue); mutui (MarquesasFatuhiva); pwalang (Puluwat Atoll); pwanang, pwuur, pwalang (Chuuk); sao
(Solomon Islands: Kwaraae); ylang ylang, perfume tree, cananga (English)
Harley I. Manner and Craig R. Elevitch
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Species Proles for Pacic Island Agroforestry
www.traditionaltree.org
April acc6
vcr. a..
Ylang-ylang tree about
m ( ft) in height. Hos-
pital Road, Guam.
IN BRIEF
Distribution Common throughout Polync
sia, Microncsia, and Mclancsia, also prcscnt
throughout its nativc !ndoMalayan rcgion,
and now distributcd pantropically.
Size Typically rcachcs .cac m (66 lt),
with long drooping branchcs or twigs.
Habitat Lowland, humid tropics, ccc m
(ca6cc lt) with rainlall ol ,ccccc mm
(cacc in).
Vegetation Associatcd with many cultivatcd
tropical plants.
Soils Prclcrs light and mcdium tcxturc soils,
tolcratcs shallow and tcmporarily watcrloggcd
soils.
Growth rate Fast growing, can cxcccd m/yr
(.6 lt/yr).
Main agroforestry uses Homcgardcns.
Main products Flowcrs lor adornmcnt or oil
distillation, timbcr.
Yields A cultivatcd trcc in lull production
can yicld ac.cc kg (aac lb) ol owcrs pcr
ycar.
Intercropping Tolcratcs shadc and grows
wcll togcthcr with othcr crops.
Invasive potential Slight, has naturalizcd in
arcas whcrc introduccd in thc Pacic islands,
although it is rarcly considcrcd a pcst.
2 Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang)
INTRODUCTION
l Southcast Asian origin, Cananga odorata, commonly
known as ylangylang, is a mcdiumsizc trcc that has bccn
introduccd into many islands in thc Pacic lor its lragrant
owcrs. Tis spccics is oltcn lound growing spontancously
in sccondary lorcsts and agrolorcsts, whcrc it rcgcncratcs
casily. !t is also a common gardcn ornamcntal. !n Mada
gascar and thc Comoro !slands, ylangylang is valucd as
thc sourcc lor ylangylang oil, which gurcs promincntly
in thc pcrlumc industry and aromathcrapy.
DISTRIBUTION
Native range
Ylangylang is nativc to !ndoMalaysia and has bccn
widcly introduccd by Polyncsians, Microncsians, and carly
uropcan cxplorcrs into many islands in thc Pacic, whcrc
in somc placcs it has bccomc naturalizcd (c.g., Samoa).
Current distribution
Tcrc is a dcgrcc ol unccrtainty conccrning thc antiquity
ol ylangylang in Polyncsia. Vhistlcr (..) notcd that thc
spccics was probably prcscnt in Samoa in prcuropcan
timcs, but bccausc thc Cook cxpcditions did not visit Sa
moa, and thc spccics was not collcctcd in wcstcrn Poly
ncsia until ., its status is not clcar. Taman ct al. (.)
considcr thc spccics to bc an aboriginal introduction into
Polyncsia. Taman (.) also suggcstcd that thc spccics is
possibly nativc to thc Solomon !slands and thc Carolinc !s
lands. Howcvcr, Fosbcrg ct al. (.,) statcd that thc spccics
is a uropcan introduction into various placcs in Micronc
sia. Morcovcr, thc spccics is not listcd lor Yap Statc, but it
is lound on thc othcr high islands ol Microncsia (Fosbcrg
ct al. .,, Mcrlin ct al. .6). According to Mcrlin ct al.
(.a), this spccics is a rcccnt introduction to Pohnpci, oc
curring with carly uropcan contact, and is also bclicvcd
to bc a rcccnt (uropcan) introduction to Nauru and thc
Mariana islands. !t was introduccd into Guam lrom thc
Philippincs (Stonc .,c). Tc spccics is also classicd as a
rcccnt introduction in Ncw Calcdonia (MacKcc .). !t
has also bccn introduccd to tropical Amcrica (c.g., Costa
Rica).
!n thc Pacic, ylangylang is now lound in thc Mariana
!slands (Saipan, Rota, Guam), Nauru, Carolinc !slands
(Palau, Koror, Faraulcp, Chuuk, Pohnpci, Puluwat Atoll),
Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Ncw Calcdonia (rarc), Hawaii (rarc),
Cook !slands, Marqucsas !slands, and many othcr small
islands.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
Preferred scientic name
Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. F. & Toms.
Family
Annonaccac (custardapplc lamily)
Non-preferred scientic names
Canangium fruticosum Craib
Canangium odoratum (Lam.) 8aill. cx King
Canangium scortechinii King
Uvaria odorata Lam.
Common names
Oceania
canang odorant (Frcnch)
chirng, irang (Palau)
derangerang, derangirang (Nauru)
ilahnglahng, ilanlang (Kosrac)
ilangilang, alangilang (Guam, CNM!)
ilangilang, lengileng, alangilang, pur-n-wai, pwurenwai,
seir en wai (Pohnpci)
ilanilan (Marshall !slands)
lanalana (Hawaii)
makosoi, mokohoi, makasui, mokosoi (Fiji)
mohokoi (Tonga)
mosooi (Samoa)
motoi (Frcnch Polyncsia)
motooi, mataoi, matooi (Cook !slands, Niuc, Tahiti)
motoi (MarqucsasNukuhiva, Niuc)
mutui (MarqucsasFatuhiva)
pwalang (Puluwat Atoll)
pwanang, pwuur, pwalang (Chuuk)
sao (Solomon !slands: Kwaraac)
ylang ylang, pcrlumc trcc, cananga, cadmia (nglish)
Other regions
apurvachampaka, chettu sampangi, karumugai (!ndia)
ilangilang, alangilang (Philippincs)
ilangilang, kcnanga wood, pcrlumc trcc, cananga oil,
ylangylang (tradc namcs)
kadatngan, kadatnyan (Myanmar)
kernanga (!ndoncsia)
kenanga, chenanga, ylang-ylang (Malaysia)
Form
Ylangylang is ol mcdium sizc .cc m (.c lt) in
hcight, although rarcly ovcr c m (.cc lt), and typically
.cac m (66 lt). !n cultivation, thc trcc is usually kcpt
Species Proles for Pacic Island Agroforestry (www.traditionaltree.org) 3
short by pruning to about m (.c lt). 8ranchcs arc pcndu
lous or slightly crcct with drooping, lcaly twigs. Tc trcc is
usually quitc straggly, oltcn with long, lcaly twigs dangling
6 m (.cac lt). Tcrc is a singlc main trunk that is usu
ally bcnt to somc dcgrcc. Tc bark is smooth and grayish
whitc to silvcry.
Flowers
!t owcrs throughout thc ycar in axillary, umbcllatc hang
ing clustcrs ol .a owcrs. Tc owcr has thrcc scpals and
six pctals up to cm (a. in) long. Tc pctals arc twistcd
whcn young, thcn limp and drooping whcn maturc. Flow
crs arc vcry lragrant, grccnish ycllow at rst, thcn turn
ing a dccp ycllow/ycllow brown whcn maturc. Mcrlin ct al.
(.) statcd that on Kosrac this plant owcrs at thc samc
timc as othcr lruit or nut trccs, c.g., brcadlruit, pandanus,
mango, and Tahitian chcstnut (Inocarpus fagifer). !n Mada
gascar, thc trccs owcr ycarround, but mainly during thc
rainy scason lrom Novcmbcr to March.
Leaves
Lcavcs arc dark grccn, up to ac cm ( in) in lcngth, altcr
natc, simplc, cntirc, cllipticoblong, slightly pubcsccnt, and
with a promincnt midrib and drip tip. As with most mcm
bcrs ol this lamily, thc lcavcs arc arrangcd mainly along a
planc.
Fruit
Grccnish black in color, ..a. cm (c.6..c in) in lcngth,
containing 6.a stalkcd lruitlcts, cshy, olivclikc, and
bornc in axillary clustcrs. Tcrc arc 6.a, small, palc brown,
attcncd ovoid sccds in cach lruit.
Similar species
Also in thc custardapplc lamily and with thc common
namc ylangylang, Artabotrys hexapetalus is a climbing
woody shrub lrom !ndia. Tc owcrs arc grccn, with a lra
grancc similar to thosc ol Cananga odorata. Howcvcr, thc
owcrs ol Artabotrys arc not showy and much smallcr, hav
ing six a. cm (. in) long pctals that do not twist. Also,
Artabotrys is a vinc, whcrcas Cananga is a trcc.
GENETICS
Variability of species
Two groups arc distinguishcd in cultivation. Tc rst group
Cananga (lorma macrophylla Stccnis) has branchcs pcrpcn
dicular to thc stcm (rathcr than drooping) and largc lcavcs
ac x .c cm ( x in). Tc owcrs ol this group arc thc
sourcc ol thc distillatc tradcd as cananga oil, it is cultivatcd
in Java, Fiji, and Samoa. Tc sccond group is Ylangylang
(lorma genuina Stccnis) and has drooping branchcs and
Arrangement of leaves. vno:o: n. :~xxvv
Flowers at various stages of maturity. vno:o: c. vivvi:cn
Immature fruits. vno:o: c. vivvi:cn
4 Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang)
smallcr lcavcs than thc rst group. Tis lorm is thc sourcc
ol thc distillatc tradcd as ylangylang oil and is cultivatcd
throughout thc tropics (ycn and ung .).
Known varieties
C. odorata var. fruticosa (Craib) J. Sincl. is a dwarlcd, cul
tivatcd lorm that rcachcs a m (6.6 lt) in hcight (8ackcr
and 8rink Jr. .6). !t oltcn has morc numcrous and vcry
curly owcr pctals than usual. Tis varicty is said to ncvcr
sct lruit.
ASSOCIATED PLANT SPECIES
Associated native species
!n !ndoncsia, this spccics is a componcnt ol mixcd and
tcak lorcsts. !t is also cultivatcd lor its lragrant owcrs in
plantations and in backyard gardcns as an ornamcntal.
Species commonly associated in modern times or
as recent introduction
!t is a commonly plantcd and spontancous trcc in sccond
ary lorcsts and agrolorcsts in Microncsia and Polyncsia. !n
Pohnpci, this spccics was cultivatcd lor its csscntial oil as a
plantation or orchard crop at thc Ponapc Agriculturc and
Tradc School in thc mid.cs. n Guam, ylangylang
can bc lound growing in sccondary lorcsts containing oth
cr introduccd spccics (i.c., Leucaena leucocephala, Spathodea
campanulata, Areca catechu, ctc.), ncar roadways.
ENVIRONMENTAL PREFERENCES
AND TOLERANCES
Ylangylang prclcrs thc humid lowland tropics, although it
can bc cultivatcd in thc uplands ncar thc cquator.
Climate
Tc trcc grows wcll in thc cquatorial to subtropical mari
timc climatcs ol thc !ndian and Pacic occans. !t is a com
poncnt ol thc tropical moist to scmidry lorcst.
Elevation range
.cc m (ca6cc lt), up to .acc m (cc lt) ncar thc cqua
tor
Mean annual rainfall
,ccccc mm (cacc in)
Rainfall pattern
Grows in climatcs with summcr, wintcr, bimodal, and uni
lorm rainlall pattcrns.
Dry season duration (consecutive months with <40
mm [1.6 in] rainfall)
a months
Mean annual temperature
.aC (6aF)
Mean maximum temperature of hottest month
aC (aF)
Mean minimum temperature of coldest month
.c.C (c6F)
Minimum temperature tolerated
C (.F) (cstimatc)
Soils
Ylangylang can bc lound growing in a widc rangc ol soils,
lrom sands to clay loams and clays. !t thrivcs in rich vol
canic or lcrtilc sandy soils and tolcratcs watcrlogging lor
short pcriods.
Soil texture
!t can grow in light, mcdium and hcavy tcxturc soils (sands,
sandy loams, loams, and sandy clay loams, clays, clay loams,
sandy clays).
Soil drainage
!t rcquircs lrcc drainagc.
Soil acidity
Tc trcc tolcratcs widc variation in acidity (pH ..c).
Special soil tolerances
Ylangylang an grow in shallow and inlcrtilc soils. Salinc
and alkalinc soils should bc avoidcd.
Tolerances
Drought
Ylangylang can tolcratc a short pcriod ol drought (lcss
than a months).
Full sun
Tc trcc grows bcst in lull sunlight.
Shade
Tis spccics is oltcn a componcnt ol thc undcrstory in tra
ditional agrolorcstry systcms, so modcratc shading is tolcr
atcd.
Species Proles for Pacic Island Agroforestry (www.traditionaltree.org) 5
Waterlogging
Ylangylang tolcratcs pcriods ol watcrlogging, but pcrma
ncnt marshy conditions arc not suitablc.
Wind
Tc limbs arc brittlc and thc trcc docs not handlc strong
wind wcll. Howcvcr, thc trcc rcgrows vigorously cvcn altcr
hcavy wind damagc.
Abilities
Regenerate rapidly
Ylangylang is a pionccr spccics and can colonizc opcn ar
cas rapidly.
Coppice
Tc trcc is oltcn maintaincd by hcavy pruning to a suitablc
hcight lor picking owcrs (usually m |.c lt|) and rcadily
rcgrows altcr cutting. Sincc cvcn a largc trcc will coppicc
altcr bcing cut down, trccs arc oltcn lcllcd lor thcir ow
crs (Mcrlin ct al. .a). Tis spccics will also coppicc altcr
scvcrc limb/trunk brcakagc duc to high winds.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Ylangylang is classicd as a last growcr, morc than a m
(6.6 lt) pcr ycar in its carly ycars. !t is a spontancous spccics
in sccondary lorcst lallows.
Flowering and fruiting
At sca lcvcl, cultivatcd sccdlings can bcgin owcring in ..
a ycars at a hcight ol a m (6.6 lt). Vild trccs do not bcgin
owcring until thcy rcach .a m (cc lt) in hcight. At
maturity, thc trcc can owcr and lruit continuously. Vhcn
youngcr or whcrc thc rainlall is scasonal, thc pcriod ol
owcring and lruiting sccms to bc closcly associatcd with
thc rainy months.
Yields
Toppcd trccs ol cv. group Ylangylang rarcly producc morc
than ac kg ( lb) ol owcrs pcr ycar. Tc owcrs yicld
about .a distillcd volatilc oil. !n Madagascar, mainly at
Nosy 8, cc ha (.a ac) produccd cc,ccc kg (.,,6c,ccc
lb) ol owcrs which yicldcd ac,ccc kg (,ccc lb) ol cs
scntial oil pcr ycar. !n thc Comoro !slands, . ha (a. ac)
produccd cc.cc kg (.ccc lb) owcrs cquivalcnt
to .c kg (c66 lb) oil distillatc (MwcziNct accc).
Rooting habit
Tc trcc has a long taproot, and thcrclorc lavors dccp soils.
Reaction to competition
Vhcn ylangylang is grown in a compctitivc situation
with othcr spccics, it grows tall quickly and shcds its lowcr
branchcs.
PROPAGATION
Ylangylang is commonly propagatcd by sccd. !t can also
bc propagatcd by cuttings, with varying dcgrccs ol succcss.
ircctsccding in thc cld is also commonly practiccd,
which avoids damagc to ylangylangs long taproot. An
othcr mcthod is to collcct small sccdlings (.cac cm,
in) lrom undcr trccs in thc wild, and grow thcm out in
bags lor a months prior to outplanting.
Propagation from seed
Seed collection
As owcring oltcn occurs ycarround, ripc lruits can usu
ally bc lound at any timc. Fruits turn lrom dark grccn to
Grown among other trees, ylang-ylang grows tall, loses
its lower branches, and casts a dappled shade. vno:o: c.
vivvi:cn
6 Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang)
black whcn ripc.
Seed processing
!nsidc cach lruit a.a sccds arc cmbcddcd in an oily csh.
Rcmovc thc sccds lrom thc csh in a sicvc undcr running
watcr. Tc clcancd sccds should bc airdricd in thc shadc.
Seed storage
Tc sccd is orthodox, mcaning it rcmains viablc whcn dricd.
Although no data is availablc, a standard mcthod ol storing
thc dricd sccds with dcsiccant in an airtight containcr is
likcly to work wcll.
Germination
Tc gcrmination ol lrcsh sccds is said to bc crratic. Sccds
that arc 6.a months old havc a highcr gcrmination ratc.
Hot watcr trcatmcnt has bccn uscd succcsslully to stimu
latc gcrmination (ycn and ung .).
Media
A standard light, wcll draincd potting mcdium is rccom
mcndcd.
Guidelines for outplanting
Vhcn thc trccs havc rcachcd an appropriatc sizc lor cld
planting, acc cm (.a in) in hcight, thcy can bc plantcd
out in thc cld, howcvcr, carc should bc takcn not to dam
agc thc long taproot.
Direct-seeding
Sccds arc commonly dircctsccdcd. An arca is prcparcd lor
cach planting spot, clcarcd ol wccds, and cultivatcd to a
dcpth ol c cm (ac in) il thc soil is compactcd. Sccds arc
plantcd at a dcpth ol a cm (c...a in). Sowing scvcral
sccds at cach sitc will allow lor sclccting thc most vigorous
sccdlings and will hclp avoid thc work ol rcsccding.
DISADVANTAGES
Potential for invasiveness
Ylangylang has bccomc naturalizcd in many ol thc Pa
cic islands whcrc it has bccn introduccd (c.g., Samoa,
Pohnpci). Tc sccds arc catcn by birds, bats, monkcys, and
squirrcls, and arc rcadily dispcrscd. Vhilc thc spccics rc
gcncratcs spontancously in cultivatcd arcas and agrolorcsts,
it is rarcly thought to bc a pcst and is not considcrcd an
invasivc spccics by Pacic cosystcms at Risk (P!R acc,
P!R acc).
Pests and diseases
Littlc is known about pcsts and discascs ol ylangylang
and nonc arc currcntly rcportcd lrom thc Pacic islands.
Rcportcd problcms includc stcm borcrs, owcrcating
bcctlcs, and insccts that causc lcavcs to wilt (ycn and
ung .).
Other disadvantages
For commcrcial production, thc trcc rcquircs quitc a lot ol
hand labor lor picking, and yiclds ol distillcd oil arc low. !n
homcgardcns, thc labor to collcct owcrs lor dccoration
is rarcly an issuc. Howcvcr, thc trcc docs rcquirc pcriodic
pruning in ordcr to assurc casy acccss to thc owcrs.
AGROFORESTRY/ENVIRONMENTAL
PRACTICES
Mulch/organic matter
!t is a minor sourcc ol mulch (Taman ct al. accc).
Homegardens
Ylangylang is particularly appropriatc lor planting in
homcgardcns. Tc trcc is a rarc to common ornamcntal in
homcgardcns throughout many islands in thc Pacic.
Improved fallows
Tc trcc is a pionccr spccics and has potcntial lor usc in
improvcd lallows.
Native animal/bird food
Tc lruit is a prclcrrcd lood ol pigcons in Guam, Tonga
and Samoa (Stonc .,c, Taman and Vhistlcr .6). Tc
lruit is also catcn by bats, monkcys, and squirrcls.
Host plant trellising
!t is uscd as an undcrstory trcllis trcc lor yam (Dioscorea
spp.) in Pohnpcian agrolorcsts, whcrc it is somctimcs ring
barkcd. Ringbarking causcs thc uppcr part ol thc trcc to
dic and loosc its lcavcs so that thc trcc lunctions as a trcllis
without blocking sunlight.
Ornamental
Tc trcc is ornamcntal, and its vcry plcasant lragrancc
makcs it appropriatc in landscaping. Rcgular top pruning
may bc ncccssary to kccp thc trcc lrom growing too tall
in an urban sctting. Tc spccics is uscd as a strcct trcc in
Malaysia.
Species Proles for Pacic Island Agroforestry (www.traditionaltree.org) 7
USES AND PRODUCTS
!n thc Pacic, this spccics has multiplc uscs. Tc wood is
oltcn uscd lor canoc parts, small canocs (Raulcrson and
Rinchart ..), lurniturc, luclwood, and cordagc. Morc im
portantly, thc lragrant owcrs arc uscd to sccnt coconut oil
and in making lci and mwarmwars (hcaddrcsscs).
Medicinal
Tc bark is uscd in Tonga and Samoa to trcat stomach
ailmcnts and somctimcs as a laxativc. !n Java, thc dricd
owcrs arc uscd against malaria, and thc lrcsh owcrs arc
poundcd into a pastc to trcat asthma. A distillatc ol thc
owcrs is said to havc mcdicinal valuc by hcrbalists and
aromathcrapists. Aromathcrapists claim that oil is usclul
lor dcprcssion, distrcsscd brcathing, high blood prcssurc,
anxicty, as an aphrodisiac, ctc.
Flavoring/spice
Tc distillcd oils arc somctimcs uscd to avor bcvcragcs
and loods.
Timber
Tc timbcr is pinkish, ycllowish to light gray, nondurablc,
and vulncrablc to tcrmitc attack. Tc wood is coarsc tcx
turcd and straight graincd. !n Tonga and Samoa it is uscd
lor gcncral construction and canoc making. Tc timbcr is
uscd lor lurniturc in Cook !slands (Taman ct al. accc).
Tc wood is also uscd lor lathc turnings, boxcs and cratcs,
clogs/woodcn shocs, and shnct oats (Chudno .).
Fuelwood
Tc wood is occasionally uscd lor luclwood.
Craft wood/tools
!t is a minor wood lor tool handlcs (Taman ct al. accc).
Canoe/boat/raft making
Tc wood is cmploycd in canoc making in Samoa and
Tonga (Taman and Vhistlcr .6).
Rope/cordage/string
Tc bark has vcry minor usc lor cordagc (Taman ct al.
accc). !n Sulawcsi, thc bark is bcatcn to makc coarsc ropc.
Body ornamentation/garlands
Tc trcc is a vcry important sourcc ol owcrs in Microncsia
and Polyncsia. Tc vcry hcavily sccntcd owcrs arc uscd lor
garlands, hcaddrcsscs and othcr pcrsonal adornmcnt.
Cosmetic/soap/perfume
Tc primary commcrcial product is thc distillcd oil lor
thc pcrlumc industry, much ol which is shippcd to Francc.
Ylangylang oil is said to bc thc basis lor Chancl = and
pcrlumcs by Gucrlain. Ylangylang is oltcn uscd as a sccnt
lor coconut oil in thc Pacic islands. Tc spccial namc
ol potca is rcscrvcd lor this sccntcd oil in Tonga. Vhcn
uscd in modcration, thc oil is nontoxic and a nonirri
tant. Howcvcr, thc oil is an allcrgcn and has bccn rcmovcd
lrom somc cosmctics. uring thc mid.ccs, ylangylang
oil was uscd in a popular hair pomadc manulacturcd in
Hawaii. Cananga oil mixcd with coconut oil is callcd Ma
cassar oil and uscd lor hair drcssing in Southcast Asia.
Ceremonial/religious importance
Tc trcc has minor ccrcmonial importancc (Taman ct al.
accc). Vhilc thc plant may bc a rcccnt introduction to
Tonga, ylangylang (mohokoi) is catcgorizcd thcrc as a
culturally important or sacrcd plant (akau kakala), along
with othcr sacrcd or culturally important indigcnous plants
(Taman ct al. .).
Ylang-ylang growing in a mixed Samoan homegarden
among bananas, coconuts, and other fruit trees. vno:o: c.
vivvi:cn
8 Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang)
COMMERCIAL
CULTIVATION
Tc major commcrcial product is ylangylang
oil, which has bccn produccd in thc Philippincs
sincc thc carly .ccs. Tc Comoro !slands and
Madagascar arc major produccrs ol this oil. !n
thc Pacic islands, thc trcc is mainly grown lor
owcrs to bc uscd in garlands and othcr pcr
sonal adornmcnt. Lcis lrom ylangylang arc
commonly sold in Samoa in thc markctplacc
and by childrcn outsidc danccs and nightclubs.
Spacing
Typical spacing in a commcrcial ylangylang
plantation is 6 x 6 m (ac x ac lt). Closcr spacing
may rcsult in ovcrcrowding and rcduccd pro
ductivity on lowcr limbs duc to shading.
Management objectives and design con-
siderations
To allow lor casc ol harvcsting thc owcrs, thc
trcc is toppcd at m (.c lt) altcr a ycars ol
growth. Tis allows lor plcnty ol light to rcach
thc branchcs that droop naturally or arc ticd
down to pcgs in thc ground. Altcr rst opcning, thc ow
crs havc no lragrancc. Most lragrancc dcvclops .ac days
altcr opcning, whcn thc owcr has turncd lrom grccn to
ycllow. Flowcrs arc bcst collcctcd in thc carly morning
hours bclorc much ol thc lragrancc dissipatcs.
Estimated yield
Toppcd trccs ol cv. group Ylangylang rarcly producc morc
than ac kg ( lb) ol owcrs pcr ycar. Yiclds lrom cv. group
Cananga (grown in Java, Fiji, and Samoa) can rcach c.cc
kg (66aac lb) pcr ycar.
On-farm processing methods
Tc owcrs should bc distillcd immcdiatcly altcr harvcst
ing. !l thcrc is a dclay, thc owcrs can bc laid out undcr
covcr to avoid lcrmcntation, although thc dclay rcduccs
thc quantity ol oil cxtractcd. Vatcr or stcam distillation is
uscd. Small traditional stills yicld about . oil, whilc largc
modcrn stills can yicld a.
Markets
Tc markct lor thc distillcd oil is thc Frcnch pcrlumc in
dustry and hcrbalists and aromathcrapists in thc dcvclopcd
world.
INTERPLANTING/FARM
APPLICATIONS
uring cstablishmcnt ol ylangylang plantations, thc
young trccs arc oltcn intcrplantcd with shorttcrm lood
crops. Also, thc trcc ts in niccly as an undcrstory spccics
in traditional agrolorcsts, although rcduccd productivity ol
owcrs can bc cxpcctcd with incrcascd shadc.
Example system (Raynor 2004)
Location
Pohnpci, Fcdcratcd Statcs ol Microncsia.
Description
!n thc mid.cs, thc Ponapc Coconut Products company
(PCP), which was at that timc part ol thc Ponapc Agricul
turc and Tradc School, plantcd . ha (a. ac) ol ylangylang
lor csscntial oil to usc as pcrlumc in thcir coconut soap
products. Tc company had bccn importing ylangylang
oil lor a high pricc lrom Francc and hopcd to substitutc
locallyproduccd oil. Anothcr . ha (a. ac) was plantcd and
managcd by collaborating larmcrs, and a distillcry was
lundcd by a Gcrman group. Altcr ycars, thc projcct was
tcrminatcd lor scvcral rcasons:
Tc yicld ol owcrs at any onc timc was small, making
thc distillcry opcration dicult and inccicnt.
1.
Ylang-ylang plantation at the Ponape Agriculture and Trade School,
Pohnpei, where the tree was being grown for its essential oil. FSM, August
. vno:o: n. :~xxvv
Species Proles for Pacic Island Agroforestry (www.traditionaltree.org) 9
Tc yicld ol csscntial oil was a vcry small pcrccntagc ol
thc owcrs by wcight (.).
Tc poor rcturn to larmcrs (about sc.c/hour lor labor)
was a disinccntivc to harvcsting.
Tc ovcrall cost ol production was grcatcr than thc
cost ol importing thc oil.
Crop/tree interactions
About c. ha (. ac) ol thc ylangylang plantation was
intcrcroppcd with commcrcial bananas and black pcp
pcr (grown on lcrn posts), at thc samc spacing as thc trccs,
to hclp shadc wccds and providc somc incomc whilc thc
company waitcd lor thc ylangylang trccs to bcar owcrs.
Spacing/density of species
Tc plantation was laid out on a x m (. x . lt) spacing.
Howcvcr, by thc cnd ol thc projcct ( yr) it was obvious
that thc trccs wcrc spaccd too closcly (branchcs ol adjoin
ing trccs wcrc intcrtwincd). Sincc thc projcct was aban
doncd, no action was takcn and thc plantation was allowcd
to rcvcrt to sccondary lorcst.
Local larmcrs wcrc lcss cnthusiastic about planting ncw
trcss, with most convcrting thcir plantations to sccond
ary lorcst, topping thc cxisting wild ylangylang trccs, and
planting yam undcr thc othcr trcc spccics, which thcy ring
barkcd. Tcy also intcrplantcd banana in thcir plantations.
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND
AGROFORESTRY EXTENSION
xtcnsion occs lor agrolorcstry and lorcstry in thc Pa
cic: http://www.traditionaltrcc.org/cxtcnsion.html
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( indicates recommended reading)
Anon. .. Comoro !slands. Vorldmark ncyclopcdia ol
Nations. Alrica. Galc, ctroit.
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sscntialils/ylang.asp~.
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Chudno, M. .. Tropical Timbcrs ol thc Vorld. Agri
culturc Handbook 6c,. U.S. cpartmcnt ol Agriculturc
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Fcltcr, H.V., and J.U. Lloyd. .. lcum 8crgamottac
(U.S.P.)il ol 8crgamot. Kings Amcrican ispcnsa
tory. http://www.ibiblio.org/hcrbmcd/cclcctic/kings/cit
rusbcrg_olcu.html~.
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Fosbcrg, F.R., MH.Sachct, and R. livcr. .,. A gco
graphical chccklist ol thc Microncsian icotylcdonac.
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cn NouvcllcCalcdonic: Supplcmant a la Florc dc la
NouvcllcCalcdonic ct cpcndanccs (volumc horsscric).
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Russcll). ... Tropical Planting and Gardcning. Malayan
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Mcrlin, M., A. Kuglas, T. Kccn, and J. Juvik. .6. Gidii ngc
Gakiiy nu Vaab. Plants, Pcoplc and cology in Yap. ast
Vcst Ccntcr, Honolulu.
Mcrlin, M., J. agco, V. Raynor, T. Kccnc, J. Juvik, and 8.
Scbastian. .a. Tuhkc cn Pohnpci: Plants ol Pohnpci.
ast Vcst Ccntcr, Honolulu.
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comorcsonlinc.com/cpiccs/ylang.htm~.
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hcar.org/picr/spccics/cananga_odorata.htm~.
Pacic cosystcms at Risk (P!R). acc. Cananga odorata:
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cananga_odorata_htmlwra.htm~.
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thc Northcrn Mariana !slands. Coastal Rcsourccs Man
agcmcnt, Saipan, CNM!.
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vclopmcnt Programmc, Suva, Fiji.
10 Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang)
Taman, R.R., C.R. lcvitch, and K.M. Vilkinson. accc.
Multipurposc trccs lor agrolorcstry in thc Pacic !s
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tional agrolorcstry in thc Pacic !slands. !n: Clarkc, V.C.,
and R.R. Taman. Agrolorcstry in thc Pacic !slands:
Systcms lor Sustainability. Unitcd Nations Univcrsity
Prcss, Tokyo.
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P.A., and S.A. 8anack (cds.). !slands, Plants, and Polync
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Honolulu.
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thnobotany ol Samoa. !slc 8otanica, Honolulu.
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Solomon !slands. Forcstry cpartmcnt, 8ritish Solomon
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Species Proles for Pacic Island Agroforestry (www.traditionaltree.org) 11
Traditional Tree InitiativeSpecies Proles for Pacic Island Agroforestry (www.traditionaltree.org)
Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang)
Authors: Harlcy !. Manncr
.
and Craig R. lcvitch
a
.. Univcrsity ol Guam, Collcgc ol Arts and Scicnccs, UG Station, Mangilao, GU 6a USA, Tcl: 6,.,a,, Fax: 6,.,a,
mail: hmanncrCuog.uog.cdu
a. Pcrmancnt Agriculturc Rcsourccs, P 8ox a, Holualoa, H! 6,a USA, Tcl: caa,, Fax: ca.a, mail: parC
agrolorcstry.nct, Vcb: http://www.agrolorcstry.nct~.
Acknowledgments: Tc authors and publishcr thank alc vans, 8ill Raynor, and Art Vhistlcr lor thcir input. Tc cxamplc systcm
contributcd by 8ill Raynor is grcatly apprcciatcd.
Recommended citation: Manncr, H.!., and C.R. lcvitch. acc6. Cananga odorata (ylangylang), vcr. a... !n: lcvitch, C.R. (cd.).
Spccics Prolcs lor Pacic !sland Agrolorcstry. Pcrmancnt Agriculturc Rcsourccs (PAR), Hlualoa, Hawaii. http://www.tradi
tionaltrcc.org~.
Sponsors: Publication was madc possiblc by gcncrous support ol thc Unitcd Statcs cpartmcnt ol Agriculturc Vcstcrn Rcgion Sus
tainablc Agriculturc Rcscarch and ducation (USAVSAR) Program, SPC/GTZ PacicGcrman Rcgional Forcstry Projcct,
USA Natural Rcsourccs Conscrvation Scrvicc (USA NRCS), Statc ol Hawaii cpartmcnt ol Land & Natural Rcsourccs ivi
sion ol Forcstry & Vildlilc, and thc USA Forcst Scrvicc Forcst Lands nhanccmcnt Program. Tis matcrial is bascd upon work
supportcd by thc Coopcrativc Statc Rcscarch, ducation, and xtcnsion Scrvicc, U.S. cpartmcnt ol Agriculturc, and Agricultural
xpcrimcnt Station, Utah Statc Univcrsity, undcr Coopcrativc Agrccmcnt acca,cc.c.a,.
Series editor: Craig R. lcvitch
Publisher: Pcrmancnt Agriculturc Rcsourccs (PAR), P 8ox a, Hlualoa, Hawaii 6,a, USA, Tcl: caa,, Fax: ca
.a, mail: parCagrolorcstry.nct, Vcb: http://www.agrolorcstry.nct~. Tis institution is an cqual opportunity providcr.
Reproduction: Copics ol this publication can bc downloadcd lrom http://www.traditionaltrcc.org~. Tis publication may bc rcpro
duccd lor noncommcrcial cducational purposcs only, with crcdit givcn to thc sourcc. acc6 Pcrmancnt Agriculturc Rcsourccs. All
rights rcscrvcd.