Ylang-ylang gave me more trouble finding the right spot for it than almost any other tree here, which says more about the smell than the tree itself.
The Basics
Ylang-ylang, Cananga odorata, is in the custard apple family, Annonaceae, which puts it in the same family as soursop and rollinia, even though it’s grown for entirely different reasons.
Origin and Habitat
It’s native to tropical Asia, including the Philippines and Indonesia, and has since spread through the tropics as an ornamental and as a crop for the perfume industry. Took a while of actively searching before I finally tracked one down at a nursery out in Puna.
What It Looks Like
A large, fairly fast growing tree with drooping, fragrant yellow-green flowers that resemble the flowers on soursop and rollinia if you know what to look for, which makes sense given the family. The fruit that eventually follows is small, black, and berry-like.
Uses and Flavor
Not a fruit tree in any meaningful sense here, this one is all about the flowers. They’re distilled into an essential oil used heavily in aromatherapy and in perfumes, most famously as a component of Chanel No. 5. The smell is genuinely intoxicating, and can be a lot in a small space. The small black fruits aren’t something we eat, but birds apparently love them.
Growing It Here
Spent real time looking for a spot, sunny enough for a tree this size, not too windy, not blocking any views, and importantly, not so close to the house or the neighbors that the fragrance became overwhelming. Worth remembering too that once the durian, marang, and champedak nearby start producing in earnest, this corner of the farm is going to smell like a lot of things at once, for better or worse.
Pests and Diseases to Watch For
Nothing notable to report so far, still a young tree.
Kenta’s Take
Half the challenge with this tree was logistics, not horticulture. Once it’s mature and flowering regularly, I have a feeling the smell alone is going to make it one of the more memorable things we grow here, and maybe the birds will get a snack out of it too.