This
handsome tropical tree reaching 80 ft (24 m)
in the wild has
pendulous, rather brittle branches and large, glossy green leaves.
The flowers, with their long, twisted, drooping, greenish yellow
petals and extraordinarily heavy perfume, appear mostly in fall
(autumn) in thick clusters at the leaf axils, and are followed by
small greenish fruit.
The ylang ylang (its Malay name) is widely cultivated in Hawaii for
the perfume industry.
Cultivation: Like their relatives the custard apple and soursop (see
Annona), they are easily cultivated in a sheltered, shaded position.
They prefer a moist, humus-rich soil. Propagation is from seed or
cuttings. |