Ahi-balala (Helychrysum farafadian)

Scientific name: Helychrysum farafadian
Family: Asteraceae
Common name: Ahia-balala
Origin of crop and distill: Madagascar

Harvested from a spontaneous plant in the central south of the big island.

Thanks to my last trip between January and February 2025, a dear colleague brought this plant to my attention.

After several attempts, we managed to create a small local production of this fascinating Malagasy Helichrysum.

When fresh and freshly picked from the plant, its leaves are sticky and have an aroma reminiscent of cistus. When extracted for its essential oil, the aroma develops into more spicy and aromatic notes. I hope to also collect the whole dried plant to try making incense.

Its aerial portion is used by local populations to improve coughs in children with good results.

Aroma:

Aromatic (balsamic), between eucalyptus and sage. Earthy, slightly dusty.

Its rather “wild” notes, herbaceous, perhaps seemingly unbalanced, as they say in the perfumery world, even though in nature there is very little that is unbalanced except us…

Top note

Persistence on cardboard: approximately 2 hours

Blends with essential oils: Blends well with patchouli, vetiver, clary sage, and eucalyptus.

Blends with synthetic molecules: Ambroxan, Cedryl methyl ether, Methyl ionone alpha