Friday, June 25, 2010

Dwarf Ylang Ylang Plant.........Odorata Cananga var fruticosa

  There is much said about this plant because of  the Chanel 5 perfume.


    From what I  gathered, most growers are not too satisfied with the scent from the flowers, some even claiming they cannot detect any scent at all.   Perhaps the dwarf ylang ylang produces a different scent from the Ylang Ylang Tree that grows very tall in the wild or even the vine.

    I bought this plant about a month back. I find that the scent is spicy and intense, not as pleasant as the scent of the gardenia or jasmine.  So far it is doing well in the flower pot placed outside the house. It is not getting any direct sunlight as I thought to leave it to adjust first and recover from the stress of  being potted. Also I understand from the nursery that the plant had just arrived, the day I visited the nursery.  I noticed some of the leaves seemed a bit damaged, perhaps during the handling and transportation  to the nursery.  Eventually  I will  move it to where it will  receive direct sunlight as this seems to be the recommendation.  Since I took  the plant back, it has been growing  new leaves and the flowers buds that were already present have bloomed, with more new buds appearing. I  like the plant as it looks so pretty, with the ornamental looking flowers, the ends are so curly. I find it quite unique that the flowers started so green and gradually turned yellow. When the flower  is most yellow and also most fragrant,  the petals start to drop away.  Perhaps 'pretty' is not quite appropriate, but somehow the plant is like a little girl wearing  dangling earrings looking cute and adorable....!


   This is the plant when I first took it home from the nursery where I bought it for RM15. Below is how it looks like now. 

 The plant looks healthy and perfectly contented that I hesitate to move  it elsewhere.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Your plants are awesome! May I know what are the growing requirements of Dwarf Ylang Ylang? Is it similar to growing fragrant blooming ornamentals like Jasmine?

Rgds
Alfredo Tan

Sun-ni Mi-ni Gardener said...

Yes, should be the same - but it loves direct sunshine. I use organic fertilizer and they are blooming all the time, very hardworking plant! Touch wood, unlike the jasmine sambac, so far this plant is pest free, except for tiny black bugs (similar to lady bug) but they are not harming the plants or its blooms.

Alfredo Tan said...

Thanks for advice. I'm thinking of growing it in my HDB balcony. Looks like now I have to abort the desire:)

Sun-ni Mi-ni Gardener said...

Hello Alfredo, I am sorry to hear that. It is good to research on the plants first. My sis in law had her plant in the porch and it did not flower at all, even though it was healthy. I advice her to push it somewhere it can get some sunlight, and now it is blooming well.

Alfredo Tan said...

Hi Mdm,

I particularly enjoy growing orchids, dendrobrium, as they are quite hardy and bloom readily. I would love to have a big garden like yours in which I grow a plethora of exotic tropical ornamentals and have no worry for lack of sunlight:) You must have had at least years of gardening experience!


Regards

Sun-ni Mi-ni Gardener said...

Hi Alfredo, Actually my garden is very small....and I only started gardening since moving here, but thanks for the compliment, I am learning so much as I go along.....! It is wonderful that you grow orchids... they are beautiful !

Alfredo Tan said...

Hello,

Is your family supportive of your gardening? How would you describe yourself as a gardener? I must say that I'm close to being a fanatic!