Stopping to smell the orchids. - Orchid Board

Tindomul · #1 05-08-2006, 03:28 PM

I was wondering if an orchid's second bloom, assuming that the particular orchid in question is supposed to be fragrant, usually has a stronger odor than its first?
I have noticed that my Haraella odorata didn't smell much at all when it first bloomed. But now that its second flower is about a week old, all I have to do is open the lid to the vivarium where it lives, and I smell it! So does fragrance get stronger with future blooms?
By the way, the first spike is budding again!!! :hdance:

Phantasm · #2 05-08-2006, 05:05 PM

I've never thought about whether subsequent flowers have more fragrance than the basal flowers. I don't know what the advantage would be to the plant to have certain flowers more attractive to pollinators......
The bottom line is that all of the flowers are attempting to produce seed and should have similar amounts of fragrance.
I'll have to go out to the greenhouse and smell my miltoniopsis (again) ! There's nothing better than the accumulative fresh fragrance of several miltoniopsis...

Oscarman · #3 05-08-2006, 06:08 PM

I have not noticed a difference in fragrance produced by different flowers on the same plant/spike. I am speaking of Cattleyas and Phalaenopsis.

Did you smell the flowers at different times of the day, or when your viv may have been a different temperature? That could have an effect on the strength of scent.

My phals in the basement are much more intoxingly fragrant when they are moved to my warmer and brighter kitchen bay window. They are especially smelly by noon.

Phantasm · #4 05-08-2006, 07:08 PM

Many plants will have a strong perfume at particular parts of the day, and it differs according to each species. Some will have the same fragrance continually.
I suppose it is somehow coordinated with the activity of whatever the pollinator tends to be.

Tindomul · #5 05-08-2006, 10:14 PM

Hmm, I don't think any of the conditions were different. I kept trying to smell the first bloom all the time, and never smelled it till I put the dead bloom in a little bottle. Then it concentrated in their and wow very pungent. Maybe its just that now I know what smell to look for?

ScottMcC · #6 06-06-2006, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantasm

Many plants will have a strong perfume at particular parts of the day, and it differs according to each species. Some will have the same fragrance continually.
I suppose it is somehow coordinated with the activity of whatever the pollinator tends to be.

That makes a lot of sense. I have a Milt. Echo Bay 'Midnight Tears' that is powerfully fragrant from about 7 AM till 11 AM, and is otherwise fragrance free. It's a great alarm clock for me!

By the way, the curled labella slowly spiral open over a 4-5 day period...all those new blooms just started opening over the weekend.