Comoros/Moheli: Ylang Ylang Plantations

Comoros is famous for ylang ylang grown here, and sizable land on the island is planted with the trees. While the plant is originally from Southeast Asia, it’s one of the main (if only a few) exports of Comoros. The ultra fragrant flowers are used to extract the essential oil that is widely used for perfumes, including Channel No 5). When you stand next to a ylang ylang tree, the smell is overpowering and super strong, like you are in an airport duty-free and everyone around you is spraying. The sweet scent of the flowers is a defining feature of Moheli, and ylang-ylang plantations and small home-operated distilleries are widespread.