Ylang ylang oil I

Other comments :

Ylang I means that it is the second fraction of the flower water distillation, after the Ylang Extra and before the Ylang II and III. The Extra and the I qualities are the most used in fine perfumery. The density increases according to the quality of the fractions, from III to Extra, in inverse order to the volatility. The first fractions are of a higher quality, as the most volatile molecules are included in these fractions. The price also depends on this quality. The complete essential oil is used more often in aromatherapy than in perfumery.
More powerful, more ethereal, fresh cut-grass than the Extra fraction.
The term ''ylang-ylang '' comes from the Malaysian ''alang-ilang '' which means ''flowers floating in the breeze ''.
Adulteration of Ylang-Ylang EO can be done with the essential oil of cananga, which is less expensive and has a lower quality.

Stability :

Solubility issues in perfumes
The esters identified in this raw material can form their corresponding acid in stability tests
The terpenes identified in this raw material can polymerize when they are oxidized

Uses in perfumery :

Used to bring elegance, volume and originality to floral notes. This fraction is less used than the extra fraction, but more used to bring a green and etheric note.

Chemotypes :

Ylang has another similar specie, also used in perfumery, but in smaller quantities: Cananga genuina.
There is also the Cananga macrophylla, widespread in Indonesia, which gives the Cananga EO, by hydrodistillation. This essential oil has a lower quality and is less expensive.

Finally, there are four main ''false ylang '' that also belongs to the Annonaceae family :
The Harachampala (Artabotrys Hexapetalus), grown in India and Sri Lanka. The grains of selim, a Guinean and Ethiopian pepper (Xylopia aethiopica), whose flowers give an essential oil with Eucalyptol.
The Monkey pepper (Xylopia aromatica).
The Monodora citriodora which provides a Citral essential oil.

Extraction process :

The Canaga odorata is a tree that can measure 20 to 30 meters in height. To facilitate the harvest of the flowers, the trees are topped at two meters height throughout their life. In addition, each branch, called ''epicormic shoot '', is cut to stress the tree so it produces a maximum of flowers to ensure the sustainability of it specie. The branches fall back to the ground, and flowers are found under the leaves. Green at first, then yellow when ripe.
The ylang-ylang flower is cultivated all year long in a tropical or sub-tropical climate (flowering is more abundant from November to April). At maturity, the base of the flowers turns red. The harvest is done in the morning, from 5am to 8am, to prevent the evaporation of the aromatic molecules of the flower during the day. The harvest is done manually by women and the flowers are collected in baskets (5 kg of flowers per hour, knowing that a flower weighs no more than two grams!) and weighed at the factory.
During the same day, the flowers are subjected to a steam distillation. This means that the most volatile molecules are collected in the very first fraction called ''Extra '', followed by fraction I, II and III. The flower can also be totally distilled in a single fraction, called ''complete essential oil ''.
The extraction of ylang-ylang often turns around 2%, regardless of its fractionation. An adult tree can produce 10 to 20 kg of flowers per year.
It is finally possible to extract the flowers with a volatile solvent, to obtain a concrete and an absolute. No fractionation is possible with this process.
Ylang-ylang essential oils can be rectified by distillation to remove insoluble compounds.

Geographic origin :

Data not available.