ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), photographi

How to Grow Ylang Ylang

Cananga odorata · Zones 10-12

Ylang Ylang is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 10 through 12 and shrugs off deer. Its spring flowers are a moderate draw for native bees.

Ylang Ylang — the short answer

Ylang Ylang: grown in zones 10–12, full sun, pH 4.5–8.

USDA zones
10–12
Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
Soil pH
4.5–8
FAO ECOCROP
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground Plant Database
Frost-kill temperature
41°F
FAO ECOCROP

Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.

Score your parcel · free

Score Ylang Ylang on your exact land.

Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether ylang ylang actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score ylang ylang against your land's real conditions.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

No card required · your full report in seconds

What Ylang Ylang is

Ylang Ylang grows as a perennial and reaches around 80 feet at maturity. It blooms in spring. It's also deer-resistant.

How to grow Ylang Ylang

Ylang Ylang grows in USDA zones 10 through 12. Ylang Ylang does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 8, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 180 frost-free days and about 0 hours of winter chill, which is why climate matters as much as soil.

USDA Zones

10-12

USDA PHZM 2023

Soil pH

4.5 - 8

FAO ECOCROP

Sun

Full Sun

Growable Ground plant catalog

Drainage

well (dry spells)

Growable Ground plant catalog

Frost Kill Temperature

41°F

Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.

FAO ECOCROP

Minimum Growing Temperature

60.8°F

Below this it stops growing rather than dies — a pace limit, not a survival limit.

FAO ECOCROP

Mature Height

80 ft

Growable Ground plant catalog

Chill Hours

0+

Winter hours below ~45°F it needs to fruit — too-mild winters can leave it bloom-shy.

Growable Ground plant catalog

Frost-Free Days

180+

The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.

Growable Ground plant catalog

  1. Plant it right

    Set ylang ylang in full sun with well-drained soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.

  2. Match the soil

    Ylang Ylang prefers pH 4.5 to 8 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.

  3. Water steadily

    Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.

  4. Be patient, then harvest

    Prune annually while the tree establishes; fruit trees reward patience with years of harvest. Local Extension guides publish per-cultivar bearing-age tables.

Where Ylang Ylang thrives

Ylang Ylang is hardy across USDA zones 10 through 12. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.

A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 1012 spans average winter lows from 30°F to 60°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers none outright but splits 8 down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.

Zones 10–12 highlighted on the USDA national hardiness zone map

Zones 10–12·Where Ylang Ylang growsOpen map →

Where Ylang Ylang stands, state by state

Ylang Ylang is rated for zones 1012 — a cold floor USDA puts at 30 to 40°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 0 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 8 more, and 43 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.

The line runs through

8 states

3 of 8 shown

Ylang Ylang’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.

Outside zones 10–12

43 states

3 of 43 shown

Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant often works in a container that comes under cover. Each link is that state’s own growing hub.

State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.

What grows around Ylang Ylang

Good to know

One caution for pet owners — ylang ylang is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Pet Poison Helpline.)

Ylang Ylang offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators.

Your land is one point inside Ylang Ylang's range

This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.

Free Report

See if Ylang Ylang will thrive on your land

Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether ylang ylang actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

How we know this about Ylang Ylang

The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.

Grounded inUSDA PLANTS DatabaseUSDA PHZMASPCA

Frequently asked questions

Can I grow Ylang Ylang in my zone?

Ylang Ylang grows in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 12 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.

When should you plant Ylang Ylang?

Set ylang ylang out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.

How much sun does Ylang Ylang need?

Ylang Ylang needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.

What soil does Ylang Ylang need?

Ylang Ylang prefers soil pH 4.5 to 8, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.

Does Ylang Ylang attract pollinators?

Yes — ylang ylang's flowers are a solid nectar source for native bees.

Is Ylang Ylang safe for pets?

Ylang Ylang is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Pet Poison Helpline.)

Keep exploring Ylang Ylang

Ylang Ylang by USDA hardiness zone