Ylang-ylang tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Cananga tree
• Macassar oiltree
• perfumetree
• woolly-pine
• ylang-ylang-tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Unona odorata
• Uvaria odorata
• Canangium odoratum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Magnoliales, it is further categorized into the family Annonaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Cananga.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is noted in Guinea and Senegal. Its range extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, specifically around the Gulf of Guinea Islands. Moving toward the eastern side of the continent, it can be found in East Tropical Africa. Within this eastern region, the species is documented in both Kenya and Tanzania.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cananga odorata is characterized by its adaptability to diverse altitudinal gradients, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 2220 m AMSL. Typically thriving in tropical environments, it prefers humid, warm climates and is often found in lowland rainforests, coastal areas, and secondary forests where it can access ample sunlight and moisture. Its distribution across such a broad elevational range—from 0 to 2220 m AMSL—suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, allowing it to occupy various niches within forest ecosystems, from the shaded understory of lower elevations to the more exposed, cooler environments found at higher altitudes.

Elevational range max:

2220 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Canna odorata is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a long-term presence in its habitat. As an evergreen species, it maintains its foliage throughout the year, providing consistent vegetative cover without the seasonal shedding typical of deciduous varieties. This combination of a perennial lifecycle and evergreen habit supports a continuous growth pattern, enabling the plant to maintain its structural integrity and photosynthetic capacity over extended periods.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cananga odorata is characterized by a woody growth form that primarily manifests as a tree, though it can also present as a shrub. This species is a self-supporting plant, lacking the climbing tendencies of vines or lianas, and is categorized as an independent organism rather than a parasite. It is a strictly terrestrial plant, showing no aquatic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, it is a substantial specimen, with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 15 m to a maximum of 33 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 20 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

33 m

Plant height mean:

20 m

Plant height min:

15 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cananga odorata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic efficiency and carbon fixation processes. The plant's foliage exhibits significant morphological variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 10 cm to a mean of 16.5 cm, reaching a maximum of 23 cm. The width of the leaves is similarly variable, spanning from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 14 cm. Structurally, the plant lacks succulence, indicating a standard leaf anatomy rather than specialized water-storage tissues. Additionally, Cananga odorata does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on external soil nitrogen sources rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to meet its nutritional requirements.

Leaf length max:

23 cm

Leaf length mean:

16.5 cm

Leaf length min:

10 cm

Leaf width max:

14 cm

Leaf width min:

2.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cananga odorata is characterized by the production of yellow flowers that typically range in width from 0.4 cm to 0.5 cm. Following pollination, the plant develops fleshy, indehiscent fruit categorized as a berry. These fruits vary in size, with a mean length of 1.71 cm (ranging from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 2 cm) and a mean width of 1.23 cm (ranging from 1 cm to a maximum of 1 cm). Each fruit contains a relatively low number of seeds, typically between 1 and 10. The seeds themselves are small, with a mean mass of 0.0616 g (ranging from 0.0524 g to 0.0708 g) and a consistent volume of approximately 520 mm³. The dispersal of these seeds follows a zoochorous syndrome, meaning they are spread by animals, though they are also noted to be anthropochorous, suggesting human involvement in their dispersal.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower width max:

0.5 cm

Flower width min:

0.4 cm

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

2 cm

Fruit length mean:

1.71 cm

Fruit length min:

1.5 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Fruit width max:

1 cm

Fruit width mean:

1.23 cm

Seed mass max:

0.0708 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0616 g

Seed mass min:

0.0524 g

Seed volume max:

520 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

1-10

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cananga odorata has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit.

Fruit

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Cananga odorata has 57 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include BENZYL ACETATE, BENZYL BENZOATE, (+)-ushinsunine-beta-N-oxide, 2-methyl-but-3-en-2-ol, 3-methyl-but-2-en-1-ol.

BENZYL ACETATE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

BENZYL BENZOATE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

(+)-ushinsunine-beta-N-oxide

1. Journal of natural products

2-methyl-but-3-en-2-ol

1. Dr. Duke

3-methyl-but-2-en-1-ol

1. Dr. Duke

3-methyl-but-3-en-1-ol

1. Dr. Duke

BENZYL SALICYLATE

1. Dr. Duke

Butyl acetate

1. Dr. Duke

CADINENE

1. Dr. Duke

CANANODINE

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Cananga odorata has 186 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Acaricide, Acidulant, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

Antimicrobial

1. Scientific reports
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Anaphrodisiac

1. Dr. Duke

Anesthetic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Cananga odorata has 19 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, HBsAg, Hepatitis B Virus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Candida albicans

1. Scientific reports

Escherichia coli

1. Scientific reports

Hbsag

1. The Kobe journal of medical sciences

Hepatitis b virus

1. The Kobe journal of medical sciences

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1. Scientific reports

Salmonella infection

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Salmonella typhimurium

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Acne

1. BioMed research international

Anxiety

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Autism

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Cananga odorata has 3 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include EOs, essential oils, plant extracts.

Eos

1. Galen medical journal

Essential oils

1. Tropical biomedicine

Plant extracts

1. Parasitology research