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Since then many girls like to decorate themselves with the flowers of this tree (1).
What's about this fragrant tree, which was first called in the Tagalog language "alang-
alang", got entrance in the Philippine fairytale world and which has some economic
importance?
Biology
The evergreen Ylang-Ylang tree (botanic name: Cananga Odorata) is part of the
family of the custard apple plants and gets up to 20 meters high in the free nature.
Generally, cultivated species are smaller and sometimes held as bushes by a
continuous pruning.
The thin drooping branches show leathery dark green lanceolate leaves. They are
approximately ten centimetres long, four centimetres wide and have waved edges.
Numerous clusters of flower bundles grow out of the
axes of the peripheral leaves. Every flower has six tongue-like, twisted petals which
remind of a star. While some species are flourishing unremittingly almost the whole
year, other kinds flourish at least twice a year (July/December). First the flowers are
white, then they change into green-yellow and in older age in orange-reddish. Often
the same tree shows different flower colourings. The flowers smell exceptionally
strongly in the night and so they lure the moths, which are necessary for the
fertilization. Later we see the development of little green fruits, which become black.
The fruits have no economic importance.
The Ylang-Ylang tree requires a sunny one, not too dry location. The tree living in free
nature is unpretentious with regard to the nature of ground. Farm-trees grow mostly
on fertile grounds and the farmers add fertilizers.
If the technical prerequisites of water distillation are not at disposal, the drying of the
blossoms is an alternative way. The dried flowers can be used as raw material for the
manufacture of soaps and insecticides.
The Ylang-Ylang tree is native in the Philippines and parts of Indonesia. Already in
ancient time Ylang-Ylang flowers have been used - often together with Sampaguita
flowers (description of plant: here) for decorative fragrant arrangements and
bouquets. Sometimes the flowers served also as defence of bad spirits. From Indonesia
we hear that the beds of new wedded bright pairs were adorned with flower tassels
and the use of Ylang-Ylang oil by harem-women. In China gowns of rich mandarins
have been moistened with the scented oil before putting them into textile chests.
It is less known that the Philippines before the first World War had a monopoly on the
production of the oil. It was a F. Steck (1858 -- 1880), a German pharmacist, who
produced the first time a high-quality Ylang-Ylang oil on a commercial basis with the
help of distillation equipment imported from Germany. The European perfume
industry of the ending 19th century (Victorian epoch) was an interested buyer of the
oil, which was used particularly as Macassar oil in the context of hair care.
But with World War I and the stronger competition from other countries (particularly
Reunion Islands, Madagascar, Comoro-Islands) a decline in the Philippine oil
production took place., because the German producer lost their export markets.
Presumably Coco Channel did not use anymore Philippine oil, when she brought in
1923 her famous Ylang-Ylang oil based perfume "Chanel No. 5" on market. The second
World War strengthened the decline. Distilleries were closed and many trees cut. The
flowers of the Ylang-Ylang tree were only used for decorative purposes , the
production of oil falls into oblivion.
At the end of the eighties the cultivation of Ylang-Ylang trees and the commercial
production of oil experience a renaissance again in the provinces Pampanga and
Tarlac. In Pampangas places of cultivation with round about 14,000 trees are especially
Guagua, Lubao and Floridablanca.
In the province Tarlac particularly the town of Anao has to be mentioned. Anao is
sometimes praised to be the town with the best scent in the Philippines. They started
in 1989 when 10,000 trees on 2500 hectares of land were planted with governmental
support to improve the income situation of the rural population. The first cultivators
had to learn the hard way. The capacity of the steam distillation machine wasn't
sufficient and they did not reach the quality level required for the export of the oil. By
now the situation has improved considerably. Now they have an energy and personal
saving 50 kg – distillator which ensures a higher yield. The plantations have been
enlarged and the number of the trees increased to 20,000.
Three kilos of flowers were sold for about 50 pesos in 2003. A litre of excellent
perfume oil was sold for approx. 10,000 pesos. This corresponds to round about € 170.
In the Internet trade 10 ml are often offered for 10 €, that corresponds a litter-price of
almost € 1000. So the flowery sweet oil goes up in price by impressive 590 % cent on
his way from the Philippine producer to the European consumer.
The oil has a jasmine like scent and smells sweet fruity-flowerily. It can be used
unblended or blended with other perfume oils, for example with jasmine-, roses-,
bergamots-, lemons- or sandalwood-oil. The Ylang-Ylang oil gives blended perfumes a
warm, elegant aroma. We find Ylang-Ylang oil in perfume brands like "Acqua di Gio" of
Giorgio Armani,"Poison" of Christian Dior or "Champ Elysee" of Guerlain. Ylang-Ylang
oil can also be a component in bathing oils.
And now we are speaking from the emotional qualities, which are particularly
propagated by aroma therapists. They praise the fragrance of oil especially because of
its relaxing and anti depressive effects. They pretend, that the oil used as massage-,
bath oil or room spray could reduce stress, timidity, stubbornness well as sexual
frigidity. Even aggressive dogs could be calmed.
Aphrodisiac oils for example can be produced with equal parts of jasmine-,
sandalwood- and Ylang-Ylang oil. Another Aroma therapist recommends for a
"wonderful" a blend of oils consisting of six drops of muscatel sage, two drops Ylang-
Ylang and two drops of jasmine. But do not exaggerate - too high concentrations can
cause headaches and nausea. Maybe a comparison test between the "love-oil" and
Viagra could bring new surprising results also with regard to financial costs.
There are also various indications of the oil in the field of medicine. In the skin care it
removes eczemas and acne and calms the itching at insect bites. It kills pathogens and
is effective at intestines infections and stomach troubles. The oil cleans the blood and
lowers the blood pressure. On the other hand – what a miracle - it helps at erection
disturbances. The oil breaks down sleeplessness, depressions, nervousness and relaxes
at menstruation troubles. The miracle cure seems to be a real hell of a chap!
(1)
Von der duftenden Blume Ylang-Ylang, in: Jozef Genzor: Philippinische Märchen,
Hanau/Main, 1978, p. 86