Worst Smelling Orchids Ever!

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Gee, I don't find it unpleasant. Maybe cultivars differ.

---------- Post added at 07:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:40 PM ----------



That's one of the smelly ones, right up there with Bulb. echiinolabium. But really pretty, so perhaps you can forgive its aroma.

Great, just great. Unfortunately, to be honest, I probably will not be able to give it away as I am fond of the darn thing. The plant itself looks rather attractive...sigh. I just hope it blooms in the summer, outside, and not in the home. Do you know how long the blooms stay open?

[My Green Pets]

I have to echo that my Bulbo echinolabium, who I nicknamed HAL, has an almost comically horrible odor. Every time it blooms, I give it a whiff, thinking, it can't be that bad. And then I smell it. My God, it is the embodiment of horror and death. It is the odor that must fill the room when the darkest demons from Hell emerge. But even so, I still love this plant!! The flowers are amazing!!!

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by BrassavolaStars

I actually seek out specifically bad smelling ones on purpose.

If you want something that smells terrible when in bloom, try a Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum zeylanicum). Ugh. When mine was in bud, I was hoping to hand pollinate and have seed but when those little flowers opened, our home stank! I had to remove all the flowers. And then there is my Neem tree...the flowers smell really wonderful. Nature can sure have a sense of humor!

I prefer my orchids to be fragrant...but with a nice fragrance. My orchids grow inside the home. I also have other plants with flowers or leaves that have a nice fragrance.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Great, just great. Unfortunately, to be honest, I probably will not be able to give it away as I am fond of the darn thing. The plant itself looks rather attractive...sigh. I just hope it blooms in the summer, outside, and not in the home. Do you know how long the blooms stay open?

I don't recall exactly, I think it's pretty much like echinolabium - a few days, less than a week. But produces flowers sequentially (every few weeks) for several months. If it blooms when it's indoors, the house is probably not all that warm, odor is weaker when it is cooler.

I bring my Bulb. echinolabium into the house from the GH when it's blooming just because it is so spectacular. I put it where I'm not too close to it at mealtimes but I love to look at it.

[DeaC]

Bulbo. lavanae looks evil and smells the same but I don't care as long as it blooms. Besides,if I were a pollinator the scent is the attraction. It's all about the insects and we need their help.

[DirtyCoconuts]

I think some cattleya smell horrible. The ones that are like over ripe citrus to the point where they smell like rotten lemons. Not a fan lol

[OrchidSue]

Bulbophyllum nymphopolitanum is another stinker. The clone "Doggy Doo" speaks for itself.

For novelty fragrance purposes Phalaenopsis venosa is good one to get. I wouldn't call the fragrance extremely unpleasant, but is unique. This species has an interesting smokey fragrance. Mine smells like charcoal brickets mixed with a bit of floral scent.


Susan