Small yellow flowers scattered over a bright pink hexagonal box: that is how this HEM ylang ylang incense reaches you. The box is about 25 cm long, and the sticks are made in India. You pay for one box; no holder is included.
Named after a flower
Ylang ylang is the yellow, star-shaped flower of Cananga odorata, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. In Indonesia it is a custom to scatter the flowers on a newly married couple’s bed, which is why it is also called a flower of love. Today it is grown mostly in the Comoros and Madagascar, where the flowers are distilled into oil for perfumes. The incense has a floral, distinctive scent that stands well apart from woody or spicy ones.
Flowers in the flowerless months
From November to March hardly anything blooms in the garden. That is when one stick brings a floral scent into the living room. If you love the heavy, sweet smell of jasmine, you will probably like this one too. It also suits a romantic dinner.
Burning it in the living room
Burn it in a steady, heat-resistant holder, away from curtains and books. Light the tip, blow out the flame after a few seconds, and the ember carries on by itself. Don’t leave the room while it burns, and open a window slightly. When you are done, press the glowing end into sand or a heat-resistant bowl.
No holder comes in the box. If you don’t have one yet, a small ceramic bowl filled with sand will do: the stick stands up in it and the ash falls onto the sand.