Worried about fragrance of dendrobium kingianum

[astrid]

Hey everyone!

I don't have any dens in my collection yet, and I've been wondering about them for a while. I hold off mainly because of cost (online would be about $30-40 to get one, and I'd rather pay $20 maximum for a chid) and because of the higher light requirements that I just don't think I can give in my climate.

Anyway, I saw a NOID dendrobium kingianum (similar to this: https://www.tinoneeorchids.com/shop/...___006.600.jpg ) in Trader Joe's today for $12, and I almost bought it except for noticing a powerful fragrance!! Normally I can't smell a fragrance of an orchid until it's (1) blooms are open a few days and (2) it is sunny daytime (obviously this depends on the orchid).

But this one had a strong powdery smell that I smelled in the store while it was still mostly in bud. I have a small room and worry it would just overpower everything and give me headaches!

So, in your experience with den kingianums, is the smell sweet, warm, citrus, sharp, spicy, honey, powdery, floral, perfumey, or other? Is it abrasive? As a person sensitive to floral smells, do you think I should hold off on a kingianum until I have a house rather than a small 200sqft bedroom to live in?

Thanks!

[Ordphien]

I have a kingianum-esque dendrobium from Trader Joe's.
The fragrance is quite strong. I personally don't find it overwhelming.
I would say... musky hyacinth with a dash honey is what mine smells like. Or a really dark wildflower honey.
The flowers don't last nearly as long as most of my dendrobium. Something to consider

[Plodde]

I love dendrobium kingianums!! One of my favorite orchids! And smells

[801229001]

i have 2 one smells like honey and the other smells like baby poweder! ican barely smell it though because it is faint

[Orchid Whisperer]

Seems like the fragrance is quite variable based on the posts above. Adding in my 2 cents (or maybe that's 2 scents?), I would say mine has a weak, slightly sweet, medicinal smell (yeah, smell; not exactly my favorite plant for fragrance, but not horrible).

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

I have several D. kingianums and during the blooming season in March/April I sometimes bring a small plant into work. The smell pervades the entire office and I've had complaints from people 4 offices down from me that the smell was too strong for them, and a secretary complaining it gave her headaches. The scent is very pleasant, as you note, but during the daylight hours a small plant can fill a huge area with strong scent.

[My Green Pets]

This really makes me want to get one!

[astrid]

Originally Posted by mjHuntingtonBeach

I have several D. kingianums and during the blooming season in March/April I sometimes bring a small plant into work. The smell pervades the entire office and I've had complaints from people 4 offices down from me that the smell was too strong for them, and a secretary complaining it gave her headaches. The scent is very pleasant, as you note, but during the daylight hours a small plant can fill a huge area with strong scent.

Hmm, well I'd rather err on the side of caution here! I think I'll have to pass on kingianums... I am sensitive to smells even if I really really find them pleasant!

...however if I had a room overflowing with nelly isler lemon smell, I'd be pleased for sure, haha!

It's too bad, because I'd love to be able to grow the "easiest plant ever" - as kingianums are so often referred!!

[NYCorchidman]

Fragrance can be very personal.
What I consider horrible can be very pleasant to others' nose and vice versa.

With that said, I have smelled (and grown) many kingianum and its hybrid. In general, and to my olfactory sense, they all have this sweet floral fragrance that is very pleasing to me.
Some did have some unpleasant kick to it though.

If you are sensitive to strong scent, I recommend against getting one.
As you have already witnessed at a store, this tiny plant with small flowers come packed with powerful scent that you may get a headache.
It's that strong.

Cultural note, they are easy to grow and bloom, but you have to give them quite a bit of cooling to bloom them well. Otherwise they will just grow like weed without blooming.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Fragrance can be very personal.
What I consider horrible can be very pleasant to others' nose and vice versa.

With that said, I have smelled (and grown) many kingianum and its hybrid. In general, and to my olfactory sense, they all have this sweet floral fragrance that is very pleasing to me.
Some did have some unpleasant kick to it though.

If you are sensitive to strong scent, I recommend against getting one.
As you have already witnessed at a store, this tiny plant with small flowers come packed with powerful scent that you may get a headache.
It's that strong.

Cultural note, they are easy to grow and bloom, but you have to give them quite a bit of cooling to bloom them well. Otherwise they will just grow like weed without blooming.

Yeah, fragrance is personal I agree!! However, I think we could do a better job of describing fragrances overall. Most people will know citrusy and powdery smells, or sweet vs sour well, but people almost NEVER describe orchid fragrances beyond "very good!!!" and it drives me nuts!

So, while your scent preferences are highly subjective, certain key scent groups should be distinguishable to everyone. Whether or not they like them is a different story. For example, I really hate coconut and coconut smell, but I know it when I smell it. My Swiss friends all tell me peanut butter is "stinky" but we all know its scent is nutty.

I have a secret dream of going into perfume chemistry, so I am very inquisitive about the particulars of fragrance and odor.

That aside, thank you for the extra info on kingianums.
I guess I'll have to pass on these, sadly, until I have a much larger space. Or maybe forever.

I love orchids whose fragrance fills maybe a 3-5 foot radius, but if it is a knock-you-over kind of powerful smell, it starts grating on me and making me feel bad. Sort of that characteristic "old lady perfume" smell. It wouldn't be so bad, except people tend to drench themselves in it!!