Farthest carrying orchid scents - Orchid Board

Purpoh · #1 08-08-2016, 06:04 PM

This thread isn't about the best smelling orchids or the worst but more about what orchids carry their scent the farthest. For example, I was in a huge room with a Stanhopea wardii that was over 10 feet away and I could smell it strongly! What other orchids are like this?

Fairorchids · #2 08-08-2016, 06:31 PM

Zygopetalum intermedia. It was on the first floor in the sun room. I could smell it upstairs in the bedroom, that's about 50' and a staircase away.

Subrosa · #3 08-08-2016, 07:32 PM

Brassavola Little Stars. It's only fragrant at night, but I smelled two blooms from about 30' away as soon as I opened my eyes. Gongora rufescens. I first smelled it from about 8' away outdoors with my back turned.

Leafmite · #4 08-08-2016, 11:45 PM

What you want isn't an orchid but Night-blooming Cestrum nocturnum. When I had this, on a summer night, I could smell it a few blocks away from my home. The smell is fantastic, too.

gngrhill · #5 08-09-2016, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leafmite

What you want isn't an orchid but Night-blooming Cestrum nocturnum. When I had this, on a summer night, I could smell it a few blocks away from my home. The smell is fantastic, too.

Is that a tropical or something you can plant outside in our climate ( NE US ) ?

Purpoh · #6 08-09-2016, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leafmite

What you want isn't an orchid but Night-blooming Cestrum nocturnum. When I had this, on a summer night, I could smell it a few blocks away from my home. The smell is fantastic, too.

As wonderful and incredible as that sounds, this hobby has basically kidnapped me

That must be really neat to smell!

Leafmite · #7 08-09-2016, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gngrhill

Is that a tropical or something you can plant outside in our climate ( NE US ) ?

Another tropical plant.

There are quite a few outdoor shrubs that live in our climate that have lovely scents. Lilacs, mock orange, maypops, all are rather nicely fragrant and suitable for our climate.

---------- Post added at 02:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:22 PM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purpoh

As wonderful and incredible as that sounds, this hobby has basically kidnapped me

That must be really neat to smell!

I collect all sorts of plants so I sometimes forget that most orchid people collect mainly orchids.

This is a good thread, though. I don't have any that beat fifty feet.

estación seca · #8 08-09-2016, 03:14 PM

Cestrum nocturnum grows and bloom easily in a pot. You can put it outdoors for the summer and bring it in for the winter. It flowers several times per year, on each flush of new growth.

rbarata · #9 08-09-2016, 03:23 PM

Plants from Lonicera genus (non-orchids). They grow here in the wild and before you see them, you smell them... sometimes more than 30 mts away (100 ft)

Subrosa · #10 08-09-2016, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbarata

Plants from Lonicera genus (non-orchids). They grow here in the wild and before you see them, you smell them... sometimes more than 30 mts away (100 ft)

Always be careful when choosing a honeysuckle. They can be very weedy to the point of invasiveness. It's always best to choose native species or cultivars thereof.