Abstract Volatile secondary metabolites from Colombian ylang‐ylang flowers were obtained by combined steam distillation ‐ solvent extraction. The samples were analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography with flame ionization, nitrogen/phosphorus, or mass spectrometric detection. The chemical composition of the oils extracted from flowers at different stages of development differed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The generation of total volatile metabolites, light oxygenated compounds in particular, increased markedly during flower maturation. In this work the quality of the ylang‐ylang essential oils was studied as a function of flower maturity.