Imagine

Your Channel No 5 perfume has it. Some of your expensive body massage oil also has it as well. It is a star ingredient in luxury and aromatic products. And therefore one of the most sought after flowers apart from Jasmine for its heady fragrance. The word Cananga is derived from the Malay or Tagalog word “kenanga,” which refers to the tree. It’s a direct reference to the native name of the plant in regions where it is indigenous (Southeast Asia). Odorata is a Latin word meaning “fragrant” or “odorous,” referring to the strong, pleasant scent of its flowers. Cananga odorata essentially translates to “fragrant Cananga tree” or “the fragrant one from the Cananga genus. The name “ylang-ylang” comes from the Tagalog term “ilang-ilang,” meaning “wilderness,” reflecting its natural habitat. Local names are beautiful for they describe the character of a flower. In Tamil it is called Manoranjitham meaning that which captivates the mind. It is beleieved that if you inhale the fragrance of the flower thinking of a fruit, you can smell the fruit. There are six green petals in the blooming stage which turn yellow as the flower fades making it even more aromatic. The flower is at its height of fragrance late in the evening and is pollinated by nocturnal moths and insects. A oval shaped fruit forms sometimes.