I can attest to the Onc Sharry Baby - easy to grow, long-lasting and frequent blooms and smells like white chocolate.

Some cattleyas have those big showy blooms and a lovely fragrance' especially those with walkerana (sp) as a parent.

According to the book Fragrant Orchids by Steven Frowine these Cattleya have strong fragrance...

Chocolate Drop 'Kodama' AM/AOS - lily of the valley, citrus, roses, lillies
Peckhaviensis - honey
Pradit Spot 'Black Prince' - sweet floral
aclandiae - spicy
dowiana - lemon, soapy, spicy, vanilla
intermedia - sweet floral
labiata - spicy, aromatic cloves
loddigesii - baked milk chocolate
lueddemanniana 'Waterfield' - floral
maxima 'Mountainside' - heliotrope, sweet pea
quadicolor - ripe plums
schroederae - almonds
walkeriana var. alba - vanilla, cinnamon
mostly fragrant during the day.

lightly fragrant ones...
Brabantiae - spicy
Fascelis - spicy
bicolor var. grossii - spicy, aromatic floral, rose
forbesii - bubble gum
granulosa - rosy floral
guttata - sweet floral
harrisoniana - floral
intermedia 'Carlos' - floral
luteola - fresh floral
mossiae - garlic
schilleriana - honey
warneri - clean, spicy
warscewiczii - violets

He lists them by strength of fragrance, and time when fragrant, and lists a bunch of other types as well.

Then don't get the plants listed below because according to Steven Frowine Fragrant Orchids these smell bad.

light fragrance...
Cirrhopetalum graveolens - carrion
Oncidium crispum - musty, "like cockroaches"
Pleurothallis cocornaensis - moldy socks

strong fragrance

Bulbophyllum echinolabium - carrion
Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis - carrion
Catasetum expansum - turpentine in morning, rye bread in afternoon
Cirrhopetalum ornatissimum - Said by Linet Hamman to smell like whale oil, while the lip smells like fresh herring
Eria hyacinthoides - carrion
Gongora grossa - fishy, stale, musty, sweaty gym clothes
Masdie triangularis - musty, repugnant

Very Strong...
Bulbophyllum beccarii - said to smell like 100 dead elepahnts rotting in the sun

And don't forget neofinetia falcata; Oncidium twinkle and the Jumellea family's.

Elizabeth

I have an oncidium intergeneric hybrid called Nettie Valentine, but alas she had no fragrance :( Seeing these photos of other oncidiums makes me desire more!

i have 5 plants that smell good

one paraphalaenopsis (last pic) smells really good up to the point of suffocating me after sitting next to it too long. it smell like a heavy perfume.

one bulbophyllum (3rd pic), i think maybe vaginatum - smell like citrus peel when i smell the flower.

another two is a vanda (2nd pic) & a catt (1st pic) that smell sweet in the morning & evening.

den bicornutum (4th pic) have faint sweet smell

Natasha, your photos are absolutely wonderful! I am just entirely smitten with the world of orchids and I NEVER tire of seeing pictures of the many varied beauties in bloom ;)

thank you :biggrin:i just learned the best way for me to take a 'natural' photo op, using other green plants as background instead of my wall :lol:

anyway, isn't orchid addiction is the one without cure? who would want to be cured then? i just wish i bought a bigger corner lot house, or even an end lot, instead of middle terrace house. anyway, still thankful for the roof over my head. i would run out of space for my orchids soon :(

I have eleven 'chids right now and I'm trying to convince my partner I need more!! LOL... I am seriously going to have to devote a bedroom in the house as my orchid room and rearrange it so I can keep them all together. I have them scattered throughout my kitchen and living room area, but I want them to have a permanent home.

I have a phal with two inflorescence that are two and half and three feet tall in heighth and currently carry fifteen blooms between the two!!! She's sitting in the middle of my kitchen table. Oh and you're definitely right, orchid addiction has no cure - we must buy more 'chids to satisfy our cravings ;)

why would you want to be cured?
You just find new ways to incorporate your obsession.... like poison dart frog vivariums full of orchids and beautiful metallic frogs!! Put your stinky orchids in the vivs, and you'll never smell them, but can still enjoy them. No need to fertilize, the frogs do it for you