Botanical name: Cananga Odorata
Botanical family: Anonaceae
Note: Middle
Part of plant used: Flowers
Origin: Native trees to the Philippines as well as islands like Tahiti, Seychelles and Madagascar. A tree takes 4 years to produce 5 kilos of oil. The yellow flowers have to be picked at monsoon time.
Description: The smell of Ylang-Ylang is compared to hyacinth and narcissus.
History: A tribe called the Bori Bori from the Tahiti region (Maluc) used the flowers to put in their hair as decoration and used Ylang-Ylang as a hair conditioner as well as rubbing over their bodies to keep in good health. They used it in their tea for malaria, typhoid and to calm down diarrhea.
Properties and Indications:
- Hypo-tensor – calms down hyper activities
- Reduces hyperpnoea (over-accelerated breathing rate) and tachycardia (abnormal rapidity of heart beat)
- Excellent for asthmatics
- Extremely calming
- Classed as an aphrodisiac, make the body feel warm and sensuous, restores childlike body warmth. Good for puberty when teenagers are feeling awkward
- Helps with sexual problems such as frigidity, or people who are out of touch with their bodies
- Impotence – especially for men who are too cold towards their lover or children, like they are disconnected
- PMT
- Can help after pregnancy for instilling a feeling of warmth and togetherness
Blending:
- Bay, Bergamot, Citronella, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Marjoram, Melissa, Neroli, Orange, Palmarosa, Rose, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Verbena, Vetivert
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