Finding unscented orchids

[Iklaikk]

When searching for orchids, they will occasionally be noted as 'fragrant' but are rarely noted when they are unscented.
So here's my thing: I have a neurological condition which causes me to be extremely sensitive to sensory input, including smells. Almost all smells, no matter how pleasant, cause me problems. Not the best reaction to my new plant friends.
So is there a list somewhere, or way to find orchids that are unscented.
I have a couple Phalaenopsis type Dendrobiums, and grocery store Phals, but would love to find Cattleya, Oncidium, or Tolumnia orchids that are unscented, if they exist.

[Roberta]

First, WELCOME!

There are lots of posts lamenting the lack of fragrance when people expected to have it, a search of the Board for the keyword "fragrance" is likely to turn up quite a few that don't have it. In the Cattleya world, many of the smaller (mini-Catts) have brilliant color and no fragrance - a legacy of their Sophronitis coccinea ancestry. Any broad generalization about orchids is going to have exceptions, but one thing to look for is brilliant color... in species, in particular, orchid flowers have evolved to do one thing... get themselves pollinated to propagate the next generation. So if they have a pollinator that is attracted to color (such as hummingbirds and butterflies) there is no particular advantage in being fragrant. Hybrids, of course, can have parents some of which are fragrant and some aren't and so may or may not have it. But actually, more often than not, fragrance is the first thing that is lost when hybridizers are breeding for other characteristics such as shape or color.

Tolumnias are not known for fragrance, so in the Oncidium tribe they are a safe bet. Psychopsis are also not fragrant.

Also, most slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium) are not fragrant. As with everything, there are exceptions, of course. Of the few that are, typically quite faint.

At any rate, there are lots of orchids to choose from that aren't fragrant. If you are ordering online, definitely make your needs known to the seller. Consider focusing on vendors who are actually growers, not just resellers - they are the ones who really know about the plants they're selling. The Vendor Feedback forum is a great place to look to find the ones with which people have had good experiences.

[Orchidtinkerer]

Like Roberta points out more often than not there is no smell. Even on the fragrant ones with some the fragrance is only noticeable at 5 in the morning or when the sun is out or when its warm enough or late at night, too many times if conditions are not favourable the orchid won't produce any smell.
I have a pretty sensitive nose too - some people's perfume can make me feel sick - so far none of my orchids have bothered me apart from my haraella odorata or Burgearra Nelly Isler - avoid those.
Supermarket phals are never fragrant so they are a good buy but less interesting maybe.
Roberta already mentioned pretty much everything with S (sophronitis) in the Slc etc hybrids will have lost its fragrance. The only exception I know of is Potinara Burana Beauty (but there might be others) which has sophronitis but is supposedly fragrant.

On a last note though, even though I have a sensitive nose I cannot avoid smells, I can only avoid extreme perfumes but the rubbish smells, everytime I cook broccoli it smells, chicken, and burgers smell. Animals smell but these are all normal smells I can tolerate fine. I couldn't imagine thinking meeting an animal would be too unbearable but if that is your condition then ignore my advice. If you can tolerate animals then you will most certainly tolerate even fragrant orchids (bar a few exceptions) as not even my sharry baby can compete with the smell of a chicken or a loaf of bread in the oven for example.

[Iklaikk]

Roberta,
Thank you so much, some great info in there, and it gives me a place to start looking.

Orchidtinkerer,
Thank you, you've given me some things to think about here.
I agree that you can't avoid all smells, and that EVERYTHING smells. But I try to keep my home as safe a space for me as I can. When I am having a bad day, even just the smell of the medium or pots can overload me, so it is a balance of finding what works.

[SouthPark]

There certainly are orchids out there with flowers that have no smell, no scent, no fragrance.

I tried my best to smell something ----- at least something from one of my catts ------ only recently finished flowering (this link here) ...... and it had absolutely zero scent. Nothing at all - at any time of the day or night. I have another kind from the same cross - also no scent at all.

But I do have yet one more --- yet a different member of the same cross - called Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton' - that is said to have a scent ----- which I hopefully get a chance to see and smell in a couple of months time maybe. Currently producing a pseudobulb, and will very soon see if a flower spike comes out of it.

[Orchidtinkerer]

One reason I no longer grow in bark!
The smells that bark releases is not pleasant most of the time I find!
It dissapears after a while so I don't know what shops do but I have received very strange smelling bark from shops which has bothed me more than a bad smelling orchid.
I have moved to Lecca and pumice which gives off no smell!

I really feel for you there, I still remember opening my terrarium last month with some new cattleya pumila planted in bark. Got a waft of mouldy air the first week which was not pleasant and not what orchid growing should be like imo.

One orchid I can highly recommend (but there are millions of unscented ones to be recommended) is a Dendrobium Nora Tokunaga. It has zero smell and is the most tolerant orchid I own. It seems to be able to handle everything, cold, hot, little light, lots of light, great hybrid so far - I originally was hoping it has smell but it's hardiness has made up for the fact it is a completely scentless orchid.

[Iklaikk]

SouthPark,
WOW I love the twirl in the lip, that flower is amazing. Thanks for the rec.

Orchidtinkerer,
I had an opportunity to to buy a noid that was obviously related to the Tokunagas a few weeks ago, but thought it would probably be scented because one of the parents is. Genetics are absolutely fascinating in how they carry some traits and not others.
Now you have me wondering exactly how much I can tolerate (scent wise), and if I would do OK with something lightly scented. Though I think I need to have a backup home lined up for if I end up needing to rehome on short notice.

[SouthPark]

Most welcome Ik.

In your searches online, you can also look for 'odorless orchids' or 'scentless orchids'.

Apparently, Dendrobium anosmum has no scent. And I think the name itself 'anosmum' has something to do with 'no scent' hehehehe

Lots of phalaenopsis flowers --- the big flower ones - have no scent I think. You can always ask a friend or family to take a nice long smell of various phalaenopsis flowers at the supermarket ------ to see if they have scent or not. And then you can buy any that you might like - having no scent.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Apparently, Dendrobium anosmum has no scent. And I think the name itself 'anosmum' has something to do with 'no scent' hehehehe

.

Wrong on this one... the name means "no scent" but it is actually quite fragrant. You can't go by names, no idea how this one got it. Den. anosmum is the Hono Hono flower popular in Hawaii, especially loved for its fragrance.

This isn't the only orchid with a misleading name. For example, Paph. micranthum, the "tiny-flowered Paph" has one of the largest Paph flowers. The first one discovered no doubt had not opened yet, they tend to be very slow. But the name stuck.

[Iklaikk]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Paph. micranthum, the "tiny-flowered Paph" has one of the largest Paph flowers.

LOL I totally would have named it that trying to be ironic. "Look at the size of that flower, it must be the biggest I have ever seen. Let's call him 'Tiny'".