Overview

Introduce an intoxicating aroma and tropical elegance to your garden or patio with the Ylang Ylang live plant, scientifically known as Cananga Odorata. This remarkable tree is cherished worldwide not for its visual spectacle, but for the profound, sweet, and complex fragrance emitted by its unique flowers. Often referred to as the ‘perfume tree,’ its blossoms are famously a primary component in high-end fragrances, including the iconic Chanel No. 5. Our Cananga Odorata tree is a vibrant, fast-growing specimen, ready to establish itself and eventually grace your space with its captivating scent. It thrives in warm climates, growing vigorously and blooming abundantly during the warmer seasons, promising a sensory delight for years to come. This tropical beauty is a must-have for anyone seeking to cultivate a truly aromatic garden experience.

The Ylang Ylang live plant will arrive in either a 4″ or 6″ nursery pot, similar to the images provided, ensuring a healthy start. While the flowers themselves are not visually striking, their potent and beautiful fragrance more than compensates, making this tree an invaluable addition to any plant collection. It’s a fantastic choice for those who appreciate botanical scents and wish to grow a piece of perfume history right in their own home or garden.

Key Benefits

Owning a fragrant tropical plant like the Ylang Ylang offers numerous advantages beyond its aesthetic appeal. This unique tree brings a wealth of benefits to its environment and your well-being:

• Exquisite Fragrance: The primary allure of the Ylang Ylang is its incredibly potent, sweet, and exotic fragrance. Its flowers release an aroma that is both relaxing and uplifting, transforming any space into a tranquil, sensory haven.
• Perfume Industry Significance: Grow the very plant responsible for one of the world’s most coveted natural scents. The essential oil extracted from Ylang Ylang flowers is a cornerstone in the perfume industry, making it a living piece of botanical history.
• Fast Growth Rate: Cananga Odorata is known for its rapid growth, allowing you to enjoy a mature, flowering tree much sooner than many other tropical species. This means a quicker path to experiencing its renowned fragrance.
• Tropical Ambiance: Even before blooming, the lush green foliage of the Ylang Ylang live plant contributes to a vibrant, tropical atmosphere, enhancing the beauty of your outdoor or indoor space.
• Unique Conversation Starter: Its fascinating history and role in perfumery make the Ylang Ylang a unique plant to discuss with guests, adding an intriguing element to your garden.
• Potential for Essential Oil Production: For the ambitious gardener, the mature flowers can potentially be used to extract essential oils, though this is a more advanced endeavor.
• Adaptable to Containers: While it can grow large in the ground, the Ylang Ylang can also be successfully grown in large containers, making it suitable for patios or as a potted plant in cooler climates that can be moved indoors.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper Ylang Ylang care is essential to ensure your Cananga Odorata thrives and produces its beloved fragrant blooms. This tropical tree enjoys warmth and humidity, but with the right attention, it can flourish in various environments. For watering, only irrigate your Ylang Ylang live plant when the top one or two inches of soil feel dry to the touch. It prefers consistent moisture but dislikes soggy roots, so good drainage is crucial. During warmer months, you may need to water more frequently, while in cooler periods, reduce the watering schedule.

When it comes to light, choose a south-facing sunny spot for your Ylang Ylang. While it can tolerate partial shade, it will bloom less profusely. Full sun exposure (at least 6-8 hours daily) is ideal for maximizing flower production and overall plant health. The Cananga Odorata tree is tropical and loves heat, growing and blooming best during the warm season. While it can survive short periods around freezing temperatures, protection from frost is highly recommended. For fertilization, feed your Ylang Ylang tree once monthly from late spring to late summer. Use half the recommended dose of a balanced bloom fertilizer, which typically has little to no nitrogen. This encourages the development of more flowers rather than excessive foliage growth throughout the growing season. Protecting the brittle branches from strong winds is also advisable to prevent breakage. Remember, patience is key, as the perfume tree needs to reach maturity, typically three to four years from a small plant, before it begins to bloom, depending on growing conditions.

Size & Details

Your Ylang Ylang live plant will arrive as a healthy, young specimen, carefully nurtured in either a 4″ or 6″ nursery pot. These sizes are ideal for transplanting into a larger container or directly into your garden, depending on your climate and growing preferences. As a fast grower, the Cananga Odorata tree will quickly reach its mature size under optimal conditions. While exact dimensions vary, expect it to develop into a substantial tree over time, potentially reaching heights of 20-30 feet or more in ideal tropical environments if planted in the ground. When grown in a container, its size can be managed through pruning.

The plant you receive will be similar in appearance to the pictures, showcasing healthy foliage and a well-established root system. It will be ready to continue its growth journey in your care. Remember that this fragrant tropical plant requires a few years to mature before it begins to produce its iconic, fragrant flowers, with bloom time typically starting around three to four years after planting, influenced by growing conditions and care. This patience is well rewarded with the unique and intoxicating scent of its blossoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Ylang Ylang live plant get? A: When planted in the ground in ideal tropical conditions, a Ylang Ylang tree can grow quite large, often reaching 20-30 feet or more. In containers, its size can be managed with regular pruning to suit your space.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: The Cananga Odorata tree is available in either a 4-inch or 6-inch nursery pot, providing a healthy start for your new plant.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Ylang Ylang is a tropical plant that thrives outdoors in USDA zones 9-11. In cooler climates, it can be grown outdoors during warm months and brought indoors as a potted plant before temperatures drop.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This tree prefers a south-facing sunny spot, ideally receiving at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. While it tolerates partial shade, full sun promotes better blooming.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: The Ylang Ylang requires consistent warmth, regular watering (when the topsoil is dry), and protection from strong winds and frost. With proper attention, it can be a rewarding plant to grow for its unique fragrance.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your fragrant tropical plant will arrive in a healthy, well-rooted condition, similar to the product images, ready for planting or repotting.
• Q: How long until it blooms? A: The Ylang Ylang typically needs to reach maturity before it flowers, which can take anywhere from three to four years from a small plant, depending on growing conditions.
• Q: What is the ideal soil type for Ylang Ylang care? A: A well-draining potting mix is crucial. The plant prefers consistently moist soil but cannot tolerate waterlogged conditions.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The Ylang Ylang is sensitive to cold. It can survive low temperatures around freezing for short periods but generally needs to be protected from frost. If you live outside tropical zones, consider growing it in a container to bring indoors during winter.
• Q: Why is it called the perfume tree? A: It’s called the perfume tree because its flowers are highly prized for their essential oil, which is a key ingredient in many famous perfumes, including Chanel No. 5.