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Mar 13, 2024 12:10 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chantell
Middle of Virginia (Zone 7a)
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I'm ISO some fragrant orchids to add to my collections. I gravitate toward the strong spicier scents i.e. Gardenia and Jasmine fragrances.
I have the following in a couple of 'carts' and trying to pick maybe 3. Would you weigh in and let me know if you think any of these would fit the bill...happy to hear additional suggestions as well!! And if any of these are for more seasoned orchid growers (I am not) would you let me know as well?
Brassavola nodosa x sib 'Mas Mejor x Remar'
Vanda falcata (falcata 'white flamingo x falcata 'tokunoshima')
Rhynchovola 'Jimminey Cricket'
Prosthechea Green Hornet (still trying to find)
Zygopetalum mackayi
Angraecum didieri x sib
Encyclia radiata
Neofinetia falcata

Thank you SOOOO much!!! Group hug
“Little girl, why are you doing this? You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!” After a few moments thought, she bent down, picked up another starfish & hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!” Be the change you wish to see in the world. http://www.stillsthatspeak.com...
Avatar for Catpaworchids
Mar 13, 2024 12:26 PM CST
Name: Nick
Detroit Michigan (Zone 6a)
My kids are my life
Bee Lover Birds Butterflies Cat Lover Echinacea Growing under artificial light
Region: Michigan Orchids Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge)
Neofinetia and Vanda falcata are the same plant!
Rhyncholaelia glauca and Rhyncholaelia digbyana are both fragrant as are their hybrids. Just a caution, not all orchid scents make the same impression on every body. To me glauca is fruity, digbyana smells like grapefruit to me, very citrus like.
Falcata to me is slightly fragrant. The other two above are strongly so.
Brassavolas are fragrant as the sun goes down. It's hybrids often carry that same scent of cheap perfume. Nodosa, perrinii, and cordata are fragrant.
Most Angraecum are fragrant, mostly at night. Many are pollinated by night flying moths and insects.
Oncidium Sharry Baby smells like chocolate.
A great many Cattleyas in general are fragrant.
I am growing about a dozen various Zygopetalum orchids. All are daytime fragrant. Some spicey, some fruity!
A good deal of Cycnoches, Catasetums, Mormodes and Clowesias are fragrant as are the hybrids.
There is no better thrill then catching fish using flies that you tied!
Last edited by Catpaworchids Mar 13, 2024 12:28 PM Icon for preview
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Mar 13, 2024 12:46 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chantell
Middle of Virginia (Zone 7a)
You're worth it!
Charter ATP Member Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Organic Gardener Garden Photography Bee Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Hummingbirder Butterflies Tropicals Herbs Dog Lover Moon Gardener
@Catpaworchids - thank you very much! That's a huge help!! Do you know off hand which of the Zygopetalum orchids have the spicier scent?
“Little girl, why are you doing this? You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!” After a few moments thought, she bent down, picked up another starfish & hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!” Be the change you wish to see in the world. http://www.stillsthatspeak.com...
Avatar for Catpaworchids
Mar 13, 2024 1:38 PM CST
Name: Nick
Detroit Michigan (Zone 6a)
My kids are my life
Bee Lover Birds Butterflies Cat Lover Echinacea Growing under artificial light
Region: Michigan Orchids Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge)
No I am sorry, I can not say with certainty. I grow orchids like so many people because of their beauty. To me, fragrance is a bonus, kind of.
I say that because what my nose detects and my brain likes, you might find that fragrance to be unsuitable. Not every nose detects the same fragrance, your perception varies, some times a lot.
Why you could detect a pleasant fragrance from this plant while I find it horrible. I may detect a fragrance in this orchid and your nose might not detrct any scent at all.
I just think that purchasing orchids for their particular fragrance can be very disappointing, or very rewarding. I would caution you against doing that.

Although every single person I run into thinks Sharry Baby smells like chocolate.
There is no better thrill then catching fish using flies that you tied!
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Mar 13, 2024 2:47 PM CST
California Central Valley (Zone 8b)
Region: California
Sherry Baby doesn't smell like chocolate to me. Rolling on the floor laughing

I agree though, the Cattleya alliance orchids seem to be the ones with the most perfume. I have one, blc. hausermann's holiday 'christmas', that I know is in bloom the minute I open the door of the greenhouse. And its really pretty. Mine started blooming in August last year and wasn't done until Christmas.
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Mar 13, 2024 3:25 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
Greenhouse Ponds Keeper of Koi Forum moderator Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Adeniums
Jumellea comorensis - cinnamon scented
Dendrochilum glumaceum - Anise scented
Dendrochilum magnum - lovely hay scent
Dendrobium unicum - Peaches and Apricots! Truly! Smiling
If you wish to look further and want to really explore scented Orchids, including chemical structures of the compounds producing the scent, look for the book "The Scent of Orchids" by Roman Kaiser
https://www.abebooks.com/first...
The price is pretty steep nowadays, I was fortunate enough years ago to work for the same company as he did. I would say, any book the gentleman wrote on the subject of scented Orchids is worth reading, if so inclined.
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Mar 13, 2024 4:23 PM CST
Name: lindsey
wesley chapel, fl
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Orchids Photo Contest Winner 2021 Photo Contest Winner 2023
Chantel, tell us about your growing conditions. Many of these fragrant orchids have very specific growing needs.
If you can't provide what they need they probably won't bloom or do well for you.
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Mar 13, 2024 5:38 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chantell
Middle of Virginia (Zone 7a)
You're worth it!
Charter ATP Member Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Organic Gardener Garden Photography Bee Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Hummingbirder Butterflies Tropicals Herbs Dog Lover Moon Gardener
Y'all are the best!! I'm in 7A so growing indoors…typically by a west facing window. House temp between 65 & 75 depending on the season.
“Little girl, why are you doing this? You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!” After a few moments thought, she bent down, picked up another starfish & hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!” Be the change you wish to see in the world. http://www.stillsthatspeak.com...
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Mar 14, 2024 8:41 PM CST
Name: lindsey
wesley chapel, fl
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Orchids Photo Contest Winner 2021 Photo Contest Winner 2023
Chantell, if you are able to move plants outdoors during the warmer months, that will greatly increase your odds of bringing fragrant flowers to bloom. Just do it gradually as the plants will burn. Just growing indoors year round will limit you, for sure.
Oncidium Sharry Baby might be happy indoors ,it smells like chocolate.
The fancy big leaf phalaenopsis are lightly fragrant and would do well indoors.
Most of the large flowered cattleya are incredibly fragrant ( think hyacinths, roses, spicy) but really need a good amount of sun year round. When I lived in NC I ended up building a small greenhouse so that I could enjoy more flowers year round.
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Mar 15, 2024 10:03 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chantell
Middle of Virginia (Zone 7a)
You're worth it!
Charter ATP Member Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Organic Gardener Garden Photography Bee Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Hummingbirder Butterflies Tropicals Herbs Dog Lover Moon Gardener
Yes we have a sun room that they'll get moved out to when the night temps warm a lil more. Hurray!
“Little girl, why are you doing this? You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!” After a few moments thought, she bent down, picked up another starfish & hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!” Be the change you wish to see in the world. http://www.stillsthatspeak.com...
Avatar for SunnyinMichigan
Apr 21, 2024 6:21 AM CST

Daylilies Region: Michigan Orchids Roses
Indoors, the orchids that are fragrant & in bloom for the longest time for me are the newer phalaenopsis hybrids. Phal. I-Hsin Venus 'Sweet Fragrant' JC/AOS for example, has been in bloom for over six weeks; it has a sharp citrusy scent. Beautiful bouquet of flowers too! It will prob. still be in bloom for another month. I have to be careful with the phal. crosses that are "up close" to phal. violacea -- they seem to want more heat than my house offers. They have wonderful spicy aromas, but only one or two flowers at a time.

As noted by Ursula, the Dendrochilums have been fragrant (fall/winter here), and I like how the foliage is beautiful too. I would grow them just for their plant habit!
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