Champaca
Magnolia champaca
Family: Magnoliaceae · Also called Champak, Sampangi, Joy Perfume Tree, Michelia champaca, Michelia tsiampacca var. champaca
Citrus & Bright · Summer bloomer
Champaca may be the most fragrant flower most Westerners have never smelled. A tropical magnolia relative, it produces small, orange-gold flowers with a scent so complex and beautiful that perfumers have called it the closest thing to a 'perfect' flower fragrance. It combines elements of orange blossom, tea, ylang-ylang, and ripe fruit in a seamless, intoxicating whole.
devotion, worship, divine beauty
In the Victorian language of flowers, champaca means “Divine love and devotion”. Champaca is one of the most sacred flowers in Hinduism and Buddhism, it's offered at temples across India and Southeast Asia. In India, women wear the golden flowers in their hair for their intoxicating fragrance. The flower is the basis for the legendary perfume Joy by Jean Patou, once called 'the costliest perfume in the world.'
Did You Know?
Champaca absolute is one of the most expensive natural perfumery ingredients, the yield is tiny and the scent is irreplaceable by synthetics. In India, the flowers are strung into garlands called 'sampangi mala' and sold on street corners, perfuming markets and temples.
Tropical and subtropical forests of India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia
Champaca is native to South Asia, Southeast Asia. It naturally grows in tropical and subtropical forests of india, nepal, and southeast asia.
Scent Profile
“An extraordinary fragrance blending orange, tea, and ylang-ylang with fruity peach notes, considered by many perfumers to be the most beautiful flower scent on earth.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameMagnolia champaca
- FamilyMagnoliaceae
- Native ToSouth Asia, Southeast Asia
- Bloom SeasonSummer
- LifespanPerennial
Cultural Significance
Champaca is one of the most sacred flowers in Hinduism and Buddhism, it's offered at temples across India and Southeast Asia. In India, women wear the golden flowers in their hair for their intoxicating fragrance. The flower is the basis for the legendary perfume Joy by Jean Patou, once called 'the costliest perfume in the world.'