THE ORIGINS OF YLANG YLANG
Ylang Ylang originates from the humid tropics of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. It is a flagship product of contemporary perfumery. It was first distilled in 1860 in Manila by a sailor named Albert Schwenger. This lover of the flower and its fragrance traveled the country, still in hand, to harvest and then distill the most beautiful specimens himself. It was then introduced by the religious and French settlers in most of the islands of the Pacific and Indian Ocean, including Comoros in the late nineteenth century. Very quickly, this small archipelago became the first world producer because of the exceptional quality of its ylang-ylang. This is also the choice we have made at Le Sourceur, where we grow it in a sustainable and responsible manner.
THE WORLD PRODUCTION OF YLANG-YLANG
World production of ylang essential oil is relatively low, representing about 100 tons each year, with 70 tons in the Comoros alone, the vast majority of which comes from the island of Anjouan, in the southeast of the country. Next comes Madagascar (in particular on the island of Nosy Bé) with about 20 tons, then Mayotte with a little less than 10 tons. In Mayotte, the ylang culture alone represents 84% of its overall exports and the main crop of the French overseas department.
WHAT DOES THE YLANG-TREE LOOK LIKE?
The Cananga odorata, is a majestic evergreen tree of the Annonaceae family. It owes its name to its particularly fragrant yellow flowers and to the Filipino “alang alang”; literally translating as “flower of flowers”. In a prosperous natural environment, i.e. in humid, particularly rainy and relatively sunny areas, the Ylang tree grows fast and high, its branches pointing upwards. The first years, it is estimated that its growth can reach up to 5 meters per year. For a maximum height of 30 meters and a tree whose average lifespan is half a century. From the second year, the first flowers appear, they are at first white, before turning to green then to tend towards their beautiful yellow color.
LOVE AT THE ORIGIN OF RAW MATERIAL ?
According to the legend, a long time ago in the Philippines, the gods named a girl after her birth as Ylang. They added that no one should ever touch her. But she was beautiful and her striking beauty soon left no one in her village indifferent. And soon a man for whom she was also attracted came to give her flowers, the most beautiful he could find. But as he handed her the bouquet, their hands touched and Ylang was instantly transformed into a beautiful tree with fragrant yellow flowers. Legend has it that since that day her lover has been looking for her, shouting her name everywhere “ylang, ylang” ?
STRESSED YLANG-TREES
In cultivation and to facilitate the collection of flowers, we prefer to prune the ylang tree so that it does not exceed 2-3 meters in height. Also, from its first year of growth, it is first topped, before its branches are pruned frankly. The latter, extremely flexible, are then positioned vertically. This technique, at first sight barbaric, allows to stress the tree so that it produces more flowers. The minimum yield is 5kg per year from the first pruning knowing that the more flowers are harvested, the more it produces. It normally takes 4 to 5 years before the ylang-tree produces an interesting quantity of flowers. The tree produces flowers all year long and until the end of its life even if its production decreases from 30 years.
PICKING YLANG FLOWERS
Essentially a woman’s job, the harvesting of ylang-ylang is a fundamental step in the creation of a quality essential oil. Generally the flowers are collected all year round, even if the main harvest is done at the end of the rainy season and extends throughout the dry season (between May and December). The flowers must imperatively be picked when they display their beautiful yellow color, otherwise they would not have their characteristic floral smell. Moreover, the tradition wants that they are harvested at dawn, which corresponds to the moment of the day when the perfume is most powerful. Finally, the flowers come only from “adult” trees, generally from their fifth year of growth.
DISTILLATION INTO ESSENTIAL OIL
Like most essential oils, the precious liquid of Ylang is obtained by steam distillation. It takes about 50kg of flowers to obtain 1kg of essential oil. The flowers are plunged into a still filled with water brought to a boil with the help of firewood (a major problem in the Comoros, but we’ll come back to that). This essential oil is particularly energy-intensive and may be of 5 different qualities commonly called fractions : Ylang Extra Superior, offered at the Sourceur, Ylang Extra and the complete I, II and III. To obtain them entirely, it is necessary to count not less than 20 hours of extraction and something which can appear surprising for the amateurs of cooking, the more the flower is distilled the less its smell will be relevant.. On the other hand more its properties will be developed…
USE OF THE FLOWER IN THE WORLD
The Ylang flower is used in many traditions around the world. In Mayotte, it is mixed with coconut oil to make “boori-boori” cream. According to local medicine, the latter forms an excellent barrier against the harmful effects of prolonged exposure to UV rays and helps fight fever. Ylang is also used in cooking in Southeast Asia to flavor delicate and sweet desserts such as sweets, drinks or ice cream.
USES IN PERFUMERY
Traditionally attached to the world of perfumery, which has devoted a prominent place to it since the 19th century, ylang ylang essential oil intrigues for its floral and solar notes. At first, perfumers used it to form floral bouquets, notably by associating it with rose or jasmine. It is also associated with vanilla with which it shares gourmand and tropical notes. Finally, sandalwood and its creamy facet reinforces its softness and smoothness. Thus, we find the essential oil of Ylang Extra in the most iconic creations. As well at Dior with its famous “Diorissimo” as at Chanel and its mythical “N°5”. But also at the no less prestigious house Guerlain, in particular with its perfume “Samsara”.. More generally, it is a signature of great feminine perfumes.
CURRENT USES
More recently, the essential oil of Ylang is appreciated in aromatherapy for its many virtues. In particular the complete I, II and III which are reputed to be hypotensive, sedative, antiseptic or even aphrodisiac. In olfactotherapy, it is balancing and calming and allows to let go. Finally, it is a natural moisturizer that can be found in many cosmetic recipes with exotic accents
AN ALARMING DEFORESTATION IN THE COMOROS
It is estimated that in about twenty years nearly 85% of the Comorian natural forests have disappeared. Thus, the archipelago is in 4th place in the ranking of the fastest deforestation in the world.. Worse, between 2000 and 2010, the United Nations has evaluated an alarming rate of deforestation at more than 9% per year. If this is an ecological disaster in many respects; between drought, landslides and species extinction ; several causes are pointed out. Mainly, the intensive use of firewood in Comorian homes with little or no electricity supply ; even if this is changing in the right direction in recent years. Then comes the replacement every 3 years of the numerous houses built in wood. Finally, the ylang industry would be the third evil of the Comorian forests.
THE YLANG INDUSTRY IS PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEFORESTATION IN THE COMOROS
Victim of its success and its energy-consuming needs, the sector is involved in the ecological disaster underway in Comoros. It alone accounts for 10 to 15% of total deforestation. Once again, firewood is the cause. The many distillers in the country have difficulty in obtaining electricity and many of them distill their ylang with this energy which destroys the forests. It is estimated that it takes nearly a ton of wood to obtain 3 liters of essential oil. When you know that the country alone produces 70 tons of essential oil of ylang per year, the calculation is quickly done. However, this sector is fundamental for the inhabitants of the island. More than 10% of the population works in this sector and this rate is bound to increase with the growing world needs. It is therefore urgent to improve and protect it.
A RESPONSIBLE ESSENTIAL OIL OF YLANG IS POSSIBLE
Lulled by our ecological concerns, it was not possible to engage in the Ylang industry without meeting our environmental requirements. But it was also out of the question to miss this flagship material of perfumery. To cure the disease, you have to fight it. To minimize our impact, we started from the premise that has always guided us. For Le Sourceur, a quality essential oil is first and foremost an exceptional fragrance. And as we have already said, this exceptional fragrance is obtained with extra superior Ylang, that is to say the first fraction distilled in 1 hour maximum and not in 20 hours as its most greedy fractions require. The less time we distill the less wood we use. We thus reduced our impact by 20.
THE SOLUTION THE SOURCEUR
But this was not enough, it was out of the question to touch the forest. So we made a very important investment for our company with AGK to buy a still that runs entirely on solar energy ! We are therefore proud to have in our possession an essential oil that is always more solar, 100% pure and natural.
Websites
- “Ylang-ylang” – Wikipédia
- S.Delacourte – “l’hypnotique ylang ylang” – www.sylvaine-delacourte.com
- Futura Planète – “ylang ylang qu’est-ce que c’est” – www.futura-sciences.com
- Centre tricontinental – Bernard Duterme: “Déforestation: à qui profite le désastre” – www.cetri.be
- Initiative Développement – “Appui à la filière ylang-ylang aux comores” – id-ong.org
books
- La Science des Huiles Essentielles médicinales, par Pierre Franchomme, éditée chez Guy Trédaniel, p107-108
- Ke-Nako (Il est temps), BD publiée chez Expression Cosmétique, Dessin de Jef, Histoire de Stéphane Piquart
video
- Exploitation de l’Ylang aux Comores, bonnes pratiques, réalisation CINEAST | INTERFACE PROD
