What are the names of some fragrant orchids?

11 years ago

The following list of fragrant orchids was submitted to the GardenWeb Fragrant Plants Forum by Jim Shy in August 2004.

Fragrant Orchid List

A list of all fragrant orchid species and hybrids would be gigantic, and would always be growing as new hybrids are registered practically every week. In response to some requests, this list has been created as a definitely-not-complete list of orchids that are:

1. Fragrant in a pleasing sense (bulbophyllum fans, youll have to look elsewhere!)
2. Not impossible to find at nurseries, orchid shows, and on the web
3. Are generally considered to be easy to grow in the home, average greenhouse, or outdoors for those living in Zones 9-10

Ive given brief notes about fragrance (faint, strong, day or night), where I can, but for more info, youll have to consult some orchid books or ask on the Orchid Forum

Here goes!

Species and hybrid orchids:

Aerangis: most species are miniature and evening fragrant, biloba, citrata, modesta, mystacidii, somalensis are considered easy, most do better mounted.

Aeranthes: a few species are fragrant.

Aerides: most are very fragrant, tall, lanky growth and roots.

Ancistrochilum rothschildianum: mini, deciduous in winter.

Angraecum: most are night fragrant, some are large and highly scented.

Brassavola: most are very night-scented, including the well-known Brassavola nodosa, or "lady of the night" orchid.

Brassia: Huge, spiderlike flowers.

Brassidium: popular, scented brassia hybrids.

Brassocattleyas: crosses between brassavola and cattleya, many are scented, some are intensely scented.

Brassolaocattleyas: Crosses of three different genuses, many are scented.

Bulbophyllum: ambrosia, laxiflorum and odoratissimum are a few small, well-scented species in a group of often foul-smelling orchids.

Catasetum: large, deciduous orchids that bear male or female flowers. Several species are fragrant, including callosum, pileatum and tenebrosum, many well-known hybrids with other genuses are likewise fragrant.

Cattleya: The classic orchid, the most fragrant species are said to be bicolor, dowiana, iricolor, labiata, maxima, mossiae, schilleriana, and warscewiczii
Literally thousands of hybrids, many are scented, some intensely so look for ones with scented species in their background, or ask for the most fragrant ones.

Clowesia: plants lose leaves in the winter, most species and hybrids are scented.

Cochleanthes amazonica, aromatica, discolor: small, must be kept warm and moist.

Coelogyne: many species are scented, some grow quite large. Popular species include cristata, cummingii, dayana, mooreana, ochracea, pandurata.

Cychnoches: large, deciduous orchids, spectacular blooms. Scented species include chlorochilum, warscewiczianum .

Cymbidium: The fragrance of certain asian species chinensis, ensifolium and kanran have been written about for thousands of years. Some mini fragrant hybrids have been developed, which may be easier for beginners.

Dendrobium: Another very popular genus, many have tall canes and lose their leaves in winter. Many species and hybrids are scented: popular species include kingianum, loddigesii, monoliforme, nobile, parishii, speciosum
Popular scented hybrids include many "nobile-type" hybrids.

Dendrochilum: many are scented, with chains of tiny flowers, including cobbianum, glumacaeum, magnum.

Encyclia: most are scented, including alata, cordigera, dickinsoniana, fragrans, mooreana, patens, phoenicia (chocolate), radiata, tampensis,
A growing number of fragrant hybrids, popular around Mothers Day.

Epidendrum: includes popular "reed-stem" orchids; fragrant species include ciliare, citrosmum, conopseum, cristatum, falcatum, floribundum, nocturnum, parkinsonianum, stamfordianum.
Some fragrant hybrids.

Gongora: most are small and highly scented, flowers often short-lived.

Haraella odorata: hands down the most popular fragrant miniature orchid on the Orchid Forum.

Holcoglossum: amesianum, yunnanensis are small vanda relatives.

Jumellea: angraecum relatives, popular species include arachnantha, comorensis, confusus.

Laelia: close relatives of cattleyas, most fragrant species include anceps, grandis, jongheana, purpurata.

Laeocattleyas: again, tons of hybrids, many of which are fragrant. Some are also minis, easy for houseplants or under lights.

Leptotes bicolor: small, cute, popular mini.

Lycaste: some very fragrant species, including aromatica and cruenta (both cinnamon-scented), leuchantha, and skinneri.

Maxillarias: generally small, many are fragrant, including camaridii, cucullata, elatior, picta, tenuifolia (coconut-scented), variabilis. Some need cooler temps in summer.

Miltonia: mainly cool growing orchids, fragrant species include spectabilis, warscewiczii and a few scented hybrids, particularly with other genuses.

Neofinetia falcata: mini species, many different cultivars in Japan, highly fragrant.

Oncidium: Flowers like swarms of butterflies. Popular scented species incude cheirophorum, incurvatum, maculatum, ornithorynchum, and some famous hybrids, see below for some.

Osmoglossum pulchellum: the "lily of the valley" orchid, needs cool temps.

Paphiopedilum: very popular "slipper orchids," most dont need high light, scented species include delenatii and malipoense and a few hybrids.

Phaius: Small group of terrestrial orchids, grandifolia, pulcher and tankervilleae all scented.
Small number of hybrids, popular outdoors in tropics.

Phalaenopsis: Probably the worlds most popular orchid right now. Needs lower light, long bloom period, fragrant species include bellina, celebensis, shilleriana, stuartiana, violacea.
More fragrant hybrids coming onto the market in recent years.

Phragmipedium: Related to the slipper orchids, grow wet, fragrant species include schlimii.

Rhynchlaelia: digbyana and glauca; both highly fragrant, often used in cattleya-type hybrids.

Rhynchostylis: most are fragrant, including coelestis, gigantea and retusa
Often crossed with vandas and other similar orchids to produce scented hybrids

Schoenorchis fragrans: tiny vanda-type.

Sedirea japonica: very fragrant mini, long cultivated in Japan.

Stanhopea: mostly large plants with pendant flowers, blooms only last a few days but are intensely scented. Species include inodora (vanilla), oculata, panamensis, and wardii.

Trichopilia: fragrans, suavis, tortilis are all fragrant.

Tuberolabium kotoense: another popular scented mini

Vanda: big, long aerial roots, harder to grow in the North, smaller scented species include cristata, denisonia, suavis, and tessellata. Thousands of hybrids, some with other genuses, including some scented ones.

Zygopetalum: most species are highly scented; usually found as complex hybrids, many of which also smell fantastic.

And now, a small sampling some of the more popular "named" scented orchid hybrids:

Brassavola Little Stars lots of small, night-scented white flowers.

Brassolaelia Yellow Bird popular, some clones are evening fragrant.

Brassolaeliocattleya. Waianae Leopard `Ching Hua` very spotted, magenta blooms.

Cychnoches Wine Delight: deciduous, big red flowers.

Cymbidium Golden Elf Sundust mini (for a cymbidium), blooms multiple times a year (citrus).

Darwinara Charm mini vanda

Gerberara Snow Ballet complex cattleya type, long blooming season.

Iwanagaara Appleblossom Cattleya type, multiple blooms

Laeliocatleya. Irene Finney a classic spring-blooming lavender-colored orchid.

Neostylis Lou Sneary very popular mini
Oncidium Fragrance Fantasy, Sharry Baby "Sweet Fragrance" (Chocolate/vanilla), Sweet Sugar,Twinkle

Potinara Free Spirit small cattleya hybrid, yellow flowers.

Potinara Halona Chocolate 'Red Beauty' bright red flowers.

Zygopetalum Artur Elle fall bloomer, intensely fragrant.

Comment

Related Discussions
What is the most easiest in-door fragrant orchid?
Q
Comments (14)
Hi Mike - If your Mother's new to orchids she may be underwhelmed by anything other than a large Catt or Phalaenopsis in bloom. Most orchids make a splash just a few weeks in a year but need care throughout the year to make that splash. For me it makes the flowers more welcomed. That said, I think Neofinetia falcata and its hybrids fit the bill. They're small, have beautiful foliage, can easily grow on a windowsill with moderately bright light. The hybrids might be better choices because they have better color, will bloom 2-3 times a year, and stay smallish. The best ones are Neostylis Lou Sneary, Darwinara Charm, Vandofinetia Kelly's Cloud Catcher, and Vandofinetia Blaupunkt. They all bloom out purple/blue and usually have a nice fragrance. Good luck. You're a good son. PS Brassavola is indeed a wonderful and fragrant orchid, but have a wild look and flowers that lack color, which Mom may or may not like. Neo hybrids are cute, but the Brassos are sexy, if that makes sense.
...See More
Does anyone know where to find aPhal Orchid World "Joe" fragrant?
Q
Comments (5)
Hey Mike, What CJ said about Hausermann's. I feel for you. Periodically, I just *have* to have a specific orchid and zoom in on finding it. Nothing's on my list right now, so I just zoomed in (obsessed) on 'Joe.' Here's what's turned up. Phal Orchid World was registered in 1984, and the cultivar Orchid World 'Joe' was awarded in 1989. Rfraser's thread that you linked was from 2008, so chances of finding this particular cultivar may be slim. On the other hand, it's been wildly popular, so maybe loads of hobbyists still have plants. In that thread, Richard said, "As to Joe, the fragrance starts out kind of spicy and ends up candy like in a sort of bubble-gummy way." If it's any consolation - when I've been at Orchids Limited, different people have sniffed the same flower and have described the scent in way different ways. Options: 1. Contact Discover Orchids, although they may not be in business anymore. It's difficult to tell from their site: http://www.discoverorchids.com/. They list Orchid World 'Joe,' but their photo is from a 1999 blooming. 2. Post a message here for Richard Fraser - evidently, you can't email him from his member page: Where did he get his plant, has it had a keiki in the meantime & maybe he'd be willing to part with it, etc.? 3. Contact Peter Lin @ Big Leaf Orchids, who's had this one in the past. http://www.bigleaforchids.com/ If he doesn't have 'Joe,' perhaps he can suggest another cultivar - 'Carmela' or 'Bonnie Vasquez,' or another Phal that smells the same, at least to him. 4. Also, post on his forum, which has several threads about Orchid World. Unfortunately, the most recent thread seems to be from 2010. 5. Contact Olympic Orchids, http://shop.olympicorchids.ihost.net. They have an orchid finder service. 6. Post on other orchid forums re: sources, extra plants, keikis, etc. For example, in 2012 this OP had a large, healthy-looking plant, and another person in the same thread had 2 keikis: http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchidtalk/phalaenopsis-oncidium-intergenerics-bloom/33670-phalaenopsis-orchid-world-joe.html 7. Start a new thread here to ask if others have 'Joe' or other cultivars that smell the same to them. 8. Look for a different Orchid World cultivar - a different one might have the same scent... *but* might be as difficult to find as 'Joe.' Here's a comment on cultivar names from Ray Barkalow of First Rays Orchids, but the year of the post doesn't seem to be given. The OP was asking about the parents of Phal. Orchid World 'Carmela.' 'Bonnie Vasquez' is another cultivar. From Ray: Actually Joanna, 'Carmela' and 'Joe' could be from the very same parents. Basically, once a cross is bloomed and named, such as Orchid World, each and every plant from the cross of Malibu Imp and Deventeriana - even if it's the reciprocal cross, Deventeriana x Malibu Imp - is Orchid World. From among the different Orchid Worlds out there, some are likely to have outstanding characteristics, so the owner has the right to attach a cultivar name to the plant, in these cases, 'Joe' and 'Carmela.' They could have been from the very same seed capsule or from a totally different set of parents. Anyone can attach a cultivar name to any plant they own that does not already have one. There is no registration involved as there is for grex names like "Orchid World." If I got a particularly nice Orchid World, I could print the tag to say Phalaenopsis Orchid World 'First Rays', but if I had 'Joe' it would always be 'Joe'. Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info! http://www.mombu.com/orchids/orchids-gardens/t-question-about-parents-10853995.html Hopefully, something in here will be helpful. Best, WhiteCat8 Here is a link that might be useful: Orchid finder, Olympic Orchids
...See More
What are some good orchids to add as my 2nd orchid.
Q
Comments (26)
Seasun, a south window is great, but 5 feet away is too far. You are not giving your phal enough light and it will decline into death if you leave it where it is. Orchids take some time to die, so you'll think you're doing fine, doing ok, maybe not growing like it should. Oh NO!!! What happened to my beautiful orchid???? Here's how where to put the phal figures: phals need about 1000 footcandles of light to grow and bloom. *Outside* at high noon = app 10,000 FC. You are never getting anything near that indoors because of the ceiling and roof of the house cutting off that directly overhead sun. All you are getting is the slanting sun, of much less than 10,000FC. Cut in half by the window glass and screen. Cut in half again *for every foot away from the window*. At 5 feet from your south window you are giving it *100FC or less* by my fairly generous estimate of what your south window actually lets in. In St Louis, I can keep phals *in* a south window with no damage, just far enough from the pane for a shade to slide down. Start moving it closer to the window. The first day move it to about 2 feet from the window. Leave it there a day or two, feeling the leaves where the sun falls on them (if it does). If they are hot, it's too much light, move at least 6" further away. If barely warm or cool, move closer. Repeat above, moving it 6" closer to the window every couple of days til you are at the place where nearer the window = leaves are hot (or it's in the window). There's been a lot of discussion with newbies about how much light to give phals here lately. Mostly newbies wanting to argue for keeping it on an inside wall in a bookcase where it looks great, more experienced growers arguing for more light, LOTS more. Your phal will love you if you do a search for these threads. Use the search function and put in something lilike "phal + light". If you leave it where it is and it dies in 6 months, put it down to needing to learn things the hard way. Actually that's how most of us learned this lesson.
...See More
Does anyone here have fragrant ORCHIDS? Wowa
Q
Comments (7)
I have small collection of fragrant orchids. "Sharry Baby" sure is one of my favorite. AS Tylorweihe said, some orchids can smell like rotting meat. I agree. Some really smell disgusting! "Sharry Baby" fills the room with sweet, vanilla scent, make people want to smell more of it. Also, many Cat. family members are fragrant as well. I couple of years ago , I bought a orchids called " twinkles". It has very pleasant sweet aroma as well. They bloom in winter time here. Once it blooming, it not only fill the air with sweet scent, but also has a load of tiny flowers! It is very easy to take care as well. I bought a 3-4" pot size plant about 2 years ago . Last year, I divided it into 5 pots and give 4 pots away to my friends as gift when they are in bloom. My own plant has 5 more little baby right now so far. There might be more show up later. I might have to divide it again this fall or next year. A far as I know, there are two type of colors, one is light yellow "Twinkles" and another is chocolate pink " Twinkles". I bought the pink one this year to complete my collection and watching both color "Twinkles" grow. If anyone can tell me how to post pictures here, I can post some picture of both orchids in bloom.
...See More

What are the names of some fragrant orchids?

Comment

Related Discussions

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US