Aerangis biloba

[MrHappyRotter]

Aerangis biloba

Recently purchased so I can't take credit for the blooms. I'm mostly a newbie when it comes to Angraecoids. I'm a sucker for fragrant flowers, and the Angraecum Alliance is known for being night fragrant. I figure since I'm mostly only home in the evenings anyway, it's the perfect thing for me to enjoy.

I picked this species up on a whim, already in bud/bloom. I was hoping for a really lovely fragrance to accompany the spray of small, white blooms.

The first night I had it home, I was a little repulsed. This thing smelled like an unkempt urinal. Blech. The second night, same deal. I thought my Aerangis got confused and thought it was a Bulbophyllum.

Then on the third night, something magical happened. Determined to give this thing a chance, I brought the plant into the dark living room around 7 p.m. or so, which is around the time I started to detect a fragrance from it the previous nights. As I sat on the couch, I suddenly started smelling a familiar scent. Hyacinths! A quick close-up sniff confirmed it, this thing smells wonderful now, powerfully so.

I don't know if the bad smell was a result of the fact that the flowers hadn't been open long the first couple of nights, if it was the change in conditions, or if it was because the plant was used to things getting dark around 7 p.m. and didn't get that under lights, but something about the fragrance seems to change dramatically and for the best when I move the plant into dark conditions in the evening.







Photos aren't the best. Hard to snap a good shot when this plant is swaying in the breeze.

[Leafmite]

It is certainly gorgeous!
I have no idea about the fragrance. There are other orchids, though, that go through changes in their fragrance as the blossoms mature so it could very well just be what it does naturally. I am very glad it smells much better for you, though.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by MrHappyRotter

...The first night I had it home, I was a little repulsed. This thing smelled like an unkempt urinal....

Beautiful plant! Congratulations.

Do you have cats? ..... ?

[MrHappyRotter]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Beautiful plant! Congratulations.

Do you have cats? ..... ?

No cats for me. Though, the smell was distinctly that of human urine.

Another observation: The flowers are strongly fragrant for only a few hours in the evening, right after dark. Then, at some point in the morning, they start to become fragrant again for a bit before the sun comes up.

[calvin_orchidL]

Beautiful and one of the most rewarding aerangis to grow. I have also noticed fragrance changes depending on light / humidity / temps, so I'm not too surprised.

[RosieC]

Gorgeous!

[Kevinator]

Very nice! I've also observed that "burst of perfume" habit in my Aerangis fastuosa. It produces so much scent for two hours after dusk and then it was suddenly gone until the next night.

I did a little bit of research online on aerangis and it turns out that many of them can be found in similar areas and each species has a different spur length and fragrance to attract their pollinators, hawkmoths. What's unusual though is that they all release their fragrance at the same time, right at dusk. Not much study has been done on why this happens, but my theory is that in order to maximize the amount of pollinated flowers, the plants cause the moths to become active right before the nocturnal predators show up.

[bethmarie]

Well that turned out lovely!

[MrHappyRotter]

Originally Posted by bethmarie

Well that turned out lovely!

Yes, I like it a lot. I'm trying to resist the urge to pick up more Aerangis until I have more growing experience with the plants I got this year.

The flowers haven't lasted very long, though. I'm assuming that's due to the change of conditions from greenhouse conditions to what it gets now. The humidity was good initially with all that rain we were getting, but I've been turning the AC on in the evenings, which zapped the moisture from the air, so that hopefully explains things.

[Leafmite]

I believe you are right about the humidity. I noticed that under the lights, the buds either blast or the blooms do not last as long on some of my Angraecums (and the citrata). The other thing you need to watch is getting water on the buds/blooms. They are also prone to crown rot so I try not to get water on the leaves in cooler temperatures. Still, the flowers are really fabulous. I know I really would like to get a few more Aerangis. Those strings of flowers are so amazingly gorgeous.

If you like the night-fragrant orchids, find a fragrant Brassavola nodosa. I have one that is just amazing (and one with absolutely no fragrance at all).