My beallara lunatic fringe Ike's yikes STINKS!! What to do about the smell?

[astrid]

Hey everyone,

This orchid is just stunning but oh my god, as the days go by the scent gets more and more ugly. It smelled mildly at first, with a peppery note.

Now, however, the smell is strengthening and I walked in my room thinking something was dirty or the trash needed to be taken out. Nope. Just my orchid!!! It smells like funky plastic and there isn't a hint of sweetness at all. It's like burnt styrofoam or something.

Is there a way I can make this orchid stop smelling so gross? Or minimize its smell? Could I put it in low light? Hairspray the flowers? Dip the damn things in epoxy resin?????

I almost want to sell it or give it away but it was a gift from my boyfriend. I feel like a big dummy for getting an orchid that I wanted so badly, but almost immediately wanting to get rid of it because of the smell!!

What would you do in my shoes? It is totally ruining the lovely smell from my new miltonia, too.

[WhiteRabbit]

Some orchid do emit stronger fragrance when in sun, so you could try putting it somewhere it won't be in the sun.

[Roey.P.]

Be thankful I read in an orchid magazine that there are few that been pollinating by flies and their scent is like corpse. 😣

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by Roey.P.

Be thankful I read in an orchid magazine that there are few that been pollinating by flies and their scent is like corpse. 😣

Ah, the Bulbophyllums I wish I could buy but dare not as it might drive hubby over the edge....

I would try to convince your BF that it would be sweet/romantic if he kept it at his apartment to remind him of you (don't mention you hate the smell). If you are lucky, he will kill the thing and that will be the end of it.

It isn't really terrible to get rid of an orchid though, due to it being a gift, that makes it a bit more difficult. I collect fragrant orchids and if they are not fragrant as promised, I get rid of them. I have been fortunate that all of my fragrant orchids have been fine but I have smelled a few at the Orchid Society meetings that I were sickeningly sweet (and for me, that is saying something as I like freesia, lilac, hyacinth, etc.).

[Roey.P.]

Don't kill it you can put it some were ventilated so you won't smell it don't put perfume because it will kill the flowers. I think the lesson is to buy orchid you know about and to buy fragrant orchids at a light time so you can smell them

[lepetitmartien]

You can play on light or temperature or both depending on the mecanism at work. It can make it lighter or different.

Also, some oncidium alliance hybrids have the fragrance evolving, for example, Sharry baby in the last weeks is not so fun…

[astrid]

Originally Posted by Roey.P.

Be thankful I read in an orchid magazine that there are few that been pollinating by flies and their scent is like corpse. 😣

Yeah those are in the bulbophyllum alliance. Though they look so interesting, I will stay out of that alliance until I have a biiiiiig greenhouse haha

---------- Post added at 07:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:56 PM ----------

Originally Posted by lepetitmartien

You can play on light or temperature or both depending on the mecanism at work. It can make it lighter or different.

Also, some oncidium alliance hybrids have the fragrance evolving, for example, Sharry baby in the last weeks is not so fun…

Ah, do you mean that the scent changes over the time they are in bloom?

...I just picked up a kingianum against my better judgment ahaha!! It does smell like honey instead of powder, so maybe I will like it.m

[Raqsharqi]

I wish orchids would be described as fragrant only if the smell is pleasant. Otherwise, smelly would be a better term! Even aromatic...that would make you at least think about what the smell would be. But fragrant conjures up the idea of perfume and sweet flowers, so the descriptor can be very misleading.

[Subrosa]

If you keep it around, every time you get a whiff you'll subconsciously make a negative association with the person who gave you the plant. Tell him the truth and lose the plant.

[Leafmite]

Yes, some orchids do smell differently as time progresses.
Sorry you ended up with one you do not like. As others mentioned, you could try the lower light trick. I usually give away orchids pretty quickly once I lose in interest in them but the gift aspect makes that rather difficult.