[1] It is valued for the essential oils extracted from its flowers (also called "ylang-ylang"), which has a strong floral fragrance.

[10] Its traditional Polynesian names include mataʻoi (Cook Islands), mohokoi (Tonga), mosoʻoi (Samoa), motoʻoi (Hawaii), and mokosoi, mokasoi or mokohoi (Fiji).

The flower is drooping, long-stalked, with six narrow, greenish-yellow (rarely pink) petals, rather like a sea star in appearance, and yields a highly fragrant essential oil.

The plant is native to Maritime Southeast Asia and Near Oceania, from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Queensland, Australia.

It has been introduced to other tropical regions in the Pacific Islands, South Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

[15] It grows in full or partial sun, and prefers the acidic soils of its native rainforest habitat.

It is believed to relieve high blood pressure and normalize sebum secretion for skin problems, and is considered to be an aphrodisiac.

The fragrance of ylang-ylang is rich and deep with notes of rubber and custard, and bright with hints of jasmine and neroli, thus it is sometimes described as heavy, sweet, and carries a slightly fruity floral scent.