Fragrant Orchids from Sweet to Foul

Within the Orchidaceae family, there are flowers of all shapes, sizes, colors -- and fragrances. Many orchid species have strong scents, which range from putrid to pleasant. Here’s a look at why orchids have such an array of aromas, along with some species you might want to smell and others that are quite offensive.

Brassavola nodosa

Fragrances Help to Attract Pollinators
In the wild, orchids’ scents help the  plants attract pollinators. Often an orchid’s scent is tailored for a specific pollinator:

• some genera (e.g. Ophyrs and Chiloglottis) have fragrances that mimic bees’ and wasps’ pheromones
• sweet-smelling red and yellow orchids attract hummingbirds
• sweet-smelling purple, blue and yellow orchids attract bees
• foul-smelling orchids with dull colors attract flies, beetles and gnats

In most cases, the fragrance of an orchid complements the blossom's appearance. For example, some Ophrys and Chiloglottis, which exude fragrances that smell like insect pheromones, have flowers that look like female insects. Similarly, rotten-smelling orchids usually have dull green or brown colors that mimic decaying plants or animals.

---

Encyclia cordigera rosea

Sweet Smelling Orchids
There are many sweet-smelling orchid species in a number of different genera. The following are just some of the delightfully fragrant orchids grown by Better-Gro:

• Brassavola nodosa (Lady of the Night), which has a lily-of-the-valley scent
• Cattleya walkeriana semi alba, which smells like cinnamon and vanilla
• Oncidium Sharry Baby ‘Sweet Fragrance’, which chocolate lovers adore because it smells like chocolate
• Encyclia cordigera, which has a sophisticated fragrance of chocolate and roses
• Encyclia alata majus, which will make you drool with its sweet honey smell
• Rhynchostylis gigantea, which will fill a small house with its citrus smell
• Epicyclia Serena O'Neil, which has a sweet scent similar to passion fruit
• Encyclia alata, which has a tropical scent of coconut and vanilla
• Epilaeliocattleya Golden Sunburst, which has a pleasant and potent scent of a citrus flower
• Rlc Akiko Sato ' Volcano Queen', which has a strong, spicy, exotic scent.

In many cases, hybrids that have one of these orchids as a parent plant will have a scent similar to the parent.

---

Bulbophyllum echinolabium Photo Credit: Orchidspecies.com

Foul-Smelling Orchids Smell Like Decaying Matter
Although you’ll rarely hear them discussed and almost never find them in a mainstream nursery, there are a number of offensively smelling orchids. Some of the worst smelling orchids are in the Bulbophyllum genus:

• Bulbophyllum beccarii, which smells like decaying animals
• Bulbophyllum echinolabium, which smells like dog droppings
• Bulbophyllum orientale, which smells like rotting apples and bananas
• Bulbophyllum carunculatum, which smells like rotting brie cheese
• Bulbophyllum psychoon, which smells like rotting fish or pond scum

(Ancistrochilus rothschildianus and Gastrochilus calceolaris also smell like fish or pond scum.)

As mentioned, these orchids aren’t trying to deter predators with their scents, although they may send you running away. They’re trying to attract insects that thrive on decaying matter.

---

Oncidium Heaven Scent 'Sweet Baby'

Orchids Smell Best in the Morning and Evening
Most fragrant orchids smell strongest in the morning or evening, when the pollinators they’re trying to attract are most active. Many species give off their scents in the morning, but some, like Lady of the Night, try to attract nocturnal moths and other insects by saving their scents for the evening.

Additionally, orchids will often smell stronger on warm, sunny days than cool, cloudy ones. The higher temperatures and sun heat up the plants’ oils, causing them to put off a stronger fragrance.

Orchids are fascinating plants with diverse flowers. To learn more about different kinds of orchids and their blooms, as well as how to care for them, we invite to peruse our website.

---

Happy Blooming from Better-Gro!