Best and strongest scent among these

[plumania]

Looking for birthday present -
Have to decide which one among Cattleya mosiae, Cattleya maxima and Cattleya jenmanii smells best and strongest.
To be grown in South Florida hot and humid weather.
Thanks a lot.

[tucker85]

I can only tell you about two of them. Maxima is a very strong growing species that seems to like South Florida but It's not one of my favorite flowers and I've never detected much fragrance on mine. Jenmanii has one of the sweetest fragrances of all cattleyas but unfortunately it isn't very strong. But it is a beautiful sweat fragrance. I like the flower better than Maxima also. I've never grown Mosiae but I know it's a beautiful flower. I don't know about the fragrance.

[plumania]

Thanks Tucker. May be others can help about mossiae.

[isurus79]

Ya, maxima has a nice scent, but its not super strong. I know its not on the list, but walkeriana has an AMAZING scent and would do well in Florida's heat. The same can be said of its hybrids.

[Mokeck]

I have all three and by far the jenmanii wins the fragrance award. Generally speaking, the darker the clone the stronger the fragrance and semi-albas, albas, and coeruleas while beautiful are less strong than var. tipos. If you can, get all three because they bloom at different times of the year. I also found that jenmanii grown in the highest light it can tolerate produces darker, better shaped flowers that are extra fragrant. Good luck. Outside of Hawaii, South Florida is the best place to grow a wide variety of orchids.

[Bud]

Tucker is right, Jenmanii has that sweet floral scent...if you can get a Cattleya Pink Diamond in your area=they are large, colorful and sweet smelling....high humidity brings out stronger fragrance....

[plumania]

Thanks.
Actually, I am not too fond of albas and I have one that may or may not bloom this year(Jose Marti Mother's Favorite) since I just got it last year. Should be enough.
I tend to get bored of looking at all white after a while. May be in future I will develop passion for them.

I am craving colored,fragrant, trumpet shape blooms right now .
I do have some others but looking for information specifically about these 3.

Will try to find a good jenmanii. Any recommendation about where to get one?

What about mossiae, does it have nice scent ?

Love pics of maxima too.Strong growth is definitely a plus in our weather as I grow everything outside. We get a lot of rain here, not as much as Hawaii though.

I have a hunch I will end up getting all 3, eventually.

[Mokeck]

Hi again!
I felt the same way about C. maxima until I got one. The flower count is so good, they make quite a show. The fragrance on mine is the least strong of the 3 you mentioned, nice but light and projects just a foot or two. C. mossiae has what I can only describe as a Cattleya smell, complex and musky, but jenmanii has that with intensity doubled and like Tucker said, a nice sweet scent. Of labiate Cattleya species, the C. schroederae may have them all beat, strong of sweet ripened fruit but not cloying. I got mine from Orquideas del Val at Redland Festival in like 2006. Jenmanii is a VZ species and any vendor from there should have those on hand, probably bare root. It's one of my favorite plants and I paid just $15 for it, also in 2006.
Cattleya jenmanii 'Eileen' 2013 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And to think I once thought orchids didn't have fragrance!

[plumania]

Originally Posted by Mokeck

Hi again!
I felt the same way about C. maxima until I got one. The flower count is so good, they make quite a show. The fragrance on mine is the least strong of the 3 you mentioned, nice but light and projects just a foot or two. C. mossiae has what I can only describe as a Cattleya smell, complex and musky, but jenmanii has that with intensity doubled and like Tucker said, a nice sweet scent. Of labiate Cattleya species, the C. schroederae may have them all beat, strong of sweet ripened fruit but not cloying. I got mine from Orquideas del Val at Redland Festival in like 2006. Jenmanii is a VZ species and any vendor from there should have those on hand, probably bare root. It's one of my favorite plants and I paid just $15 for it, also in 2006.
Cattleya jenmanii 'Eileen' 2013 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And to think I once thought orchids didn't have fragrance!

Thanks. I also used to think orchids have no scent and they were 'too gaudy' .Their reputation for being difficult to grow did not help either.
I have been on lookout for jenmanii for a long time. All I see is the coerulea variety at USA vendors which does not appeal that much to me since I am looking for colorful. Eileen looks very pretty but not available locally,I will keep trying.
If I can not get that ,may be mossiae....not semi alba. I read about mossiae 'Willowbrook' but it has luddemanniana in it and I already have luddemanniana.

[euplusia]

My jenmanni is a good growing seedling, so I cannot judge the fragrance. The perfume of C. mossiae can win your heart for sure, however flower shape sometimes leaves a little to be desired.