Cananga odorata Sampangi Champaka

Cananga odorata [Lam.] Hook f. & Thomson
Family: Annonaceae

Synonyms: Cananga mitrastigma (F.Muell.) Domin , Cananga odorata var. velutina (Blume) Koord. & Valeton , Cananga scortechinii King , Canangium mitrastigma (F.Muell.) Domin , Canangium odoratum (Lam.) King , Canangium scortechinii King , Fitzgeraldia mitrastigma F.Muell. , Unona odorata (Lam.) Baill. , Uvaria odorata Lam.

Common name: Ylang Ylang
Marathi: Chape
Tamil: காட்டு சம்பகம் Kattu chempakam
Telugu: చంపకము champakamu, sampangi  Chettu సంపంగి చెట్టు
Kannada: ಅಪೂರ್ವ ಚಮ್ಪಕ Apurva champaka
Costarica: ilang-ilang
Malayalam: Pachachempakam

other names: canang odorant (French), chirang, irang (Palau), derangerang, derangirang (Nauru), ilahnglahng, ilanlang (Kosrae), ilang-ilang, alang-ilang (Guam, CNMI), ilangilang, lengileng, alangilang, pur-n-wai, pwurenwai,, seir en wai (Pohnpei), ilanilan (Marshall Islands), lanalana (Hawai'i), makosoi, mokohoi, makasui, mokosoi (Fiji), mohokoi (Tonga), moso'oi (Samoa), moto'i (French Polynesia), moto'oi, mata'oi, mato'oi (Cook Islands, Niue,Tahiti), motoi (Marquesas-Nukuhiva, Niue), mutui (Marquesas-Fatuhiva), pwalang (Puluwat Atoll), pzvanang, pwuur, pwalang (Chuuk), sa'o (Solomon Islands: Kwara'ae), ylang ylang, perfume tree, cananga, cadmia (English), ilang-ilang, alang-ilang (Philippines)

C. odorata is a fast-growing tree of the custard-apple family Annonaceae. Its growth exceeds 5 m (15 ft) per year and attains an average height of 12 m (40 ft). It grows in full or partial sun, and prefers the acidic soils of its native rainforest habitat. The evergreen leaves are smooth and glossy, oval, pointed and with wavy margins, and 13–20 cm (5–8 in) long. The flower is drooping, long-stalked, with six narrow, greenish-yellow (rarely pink) petals, rather like a sea star in appearance, and yields a highly fragrant essential oil.

Chemical constitutents: Linalool, Germacrene, Geranyl acetate, Caryophyllene, p-cresyl methyl ether, Methyl benzoate, Sesquiterpenes

The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. It is believed to relieve high blood pressure, normalize sebum secretion for skin problems, and is considered to be an aphrodisiac. According to Margaret Mead, it was used as such by South Pacific natives such as the Samoan Islanders where she did much of her research. The oil from ylang-ylang is widely used in perfumery for oriental or floral themed perfumes. Ylang-ylang blends well with most floral, fruit and wood scents.

In Indonesia, ylang-ylang flowers are spread on the bed of newlywed couples. In the Philippines, its flowers, together with the flowers of the sampaguita, are strung into a necklace (lei) and worn by women and used to adorn religious images. Ylang-ylang is a common flavoring in Madagascar for ice cream.

Traditional Medicinal Uses: It is used for asthma, malaria, fever, cholera, typhoid, scabies, dermatitis, ulcer and wounds. The seeds are used for stomach complaints with fever and in Indonesia, the bark is used for scabies.[3] In Malaysia, a paste of fresh flowers is applied to the chest for asthma and to treat malaria. In Solomon islands, a paste of fresh flowers is applied to boils while in India, the essential oil from the flowers makes an external remedy for cephalgia, ophthalmia and gout. [ A Guide to Medicinal Plants An Illustrated - Scientific and Medicinal Approach] Anti-rheumatism, antimalarial, antidiarrhoeal.
The oil obtained by distillation of the flowers is the Cananga oil or ylang-ylang oil, which is used to make perfumes. Cananga oil added to  coconut oil and other ingredients makes the Macassar oil which was so familiar to the well-groomed Victorian and Edwardian males.The British Standards Institution has published standard specifications for Cananga oil (BS 2991/1:1965). Cananga oil contains geraniol, linalool esters of acetic and benzoic acids, p-cresol methyl ester, cadidene, some sesquiterpenes and phenols [Medicinal Plants of The Aisa-Pacific: Drugs For The Future?]

34 Published articles of Cananga odorata