It really *is* fragrant!!!

Someone had posted recently asking about this species Phal and whether
they were fragrant. I answered that I didn't think so based on my own
plant. Its 4 blooms opened the last week of January and I had never
noticed any fragrance from it no matter when I smelled it. Well,
that's all changed! Today, I had some of my plants out on the deck to
be watered and get some fresh air. As I was picking up my big shill to
bring it back inside, a bloom brushed past my face and... WOW! It
definitely *does* have fragrance. You have to have an excellent sense
of smell, but I got a definite hint. So I took a good, deep whiff. The
fragrance is akin to that of a rose: very delicate and mild, but
definitely a rose-type scent. Each bloom had this fragrance, though
curiously, some had a bit stronger scent than the others. This all
happened today, at approximately 4:30 PM EDT.

Okay... So I know that many orchids (and other plants as well) are
only fragrant during certain times of the day or night. But I'm a bit
confused by my plant and why I'm only just smelling the fragrance now.
Do blooms and their fragrance have to "mature" somehow before you can
detect them. And if this is so, could it really take this long to do
that? I mean, I've been enjoying these blooms for about 2.5 months now
and never even a hint of fragrance before today.

Whatever's going on, I'll take it. This is one awesome plant; just as
pretty out of bloom as in. I'm definitely doin' the happy dance!

* * * * *
Karen C.
Southern CT / USDA Zone 6
Spammers be damned! I can't be emailed from this account...

"Gardeners know all the best dirt!"

I have observed the same thing. The smell is present only during the
afternoon, and then only if it is warm and sunny. Some plants are much more
fragrant than others, but it is definitely rose-like.

Marc

Karen,

You are lucky. When mine bloomed I checked for fragrance all the time and
nothing

Is your plant the "Pink Butterfly" awarded variety?

Gene

On Tue, 15 Apr 2003 21:31:28 GMT, wrote:

It really *is* fragrant!!!
.... ....................... clipped...........
that's all changed! Today, I had some of my plants out on the deck to
be watered and get some fresh air. As I was picking up my big shill to
bring it back inside, a bloom brushed past my face and... WOW! It

* * * * *
Karen C.
Southern CT / USDA Zone 6
Spammers be damned! I can't be emailed from this account...

"Gardeners know all the best dirt!"

Karen -
I had a friend in Chicago that grew tropical cactus, one smelled
like an avg. bulbo... BAD. She had 2 pieces of it. The one was
hung in the sun just outside the door of the gh and the other 2
feet away INSIDE the gh. The outdoor one Smelled, did it ever.
The one indoors had no scent that any of us noticed. She gave me
a piece that bloomed several times. I always kept it indoors, and
it was never scented. IT was too pretty to have to smell that
horrid scent.

Sometimes it takes the warmth of the sun or the breeze to trigger
the scents. Try to trigger it again.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

When the ancient war dogs did battle on Wed, 16 Apr 2003 00:39:11 GMT,
"Gene Schurg" did speak the
following bit of wisdom:

Karen,

You are lucky. When mine bloomed I checked for fragrance all the time and
nothing

Is your plant the "Pink Butterfly" awarded variety?

Sorry for not responding sooner, Gene. I never saw your reply till
just now when I was "googling" the group.

FWIW: I saw a post from Peter Lin who mentioned "Pink Butterfly" by
name. Peter said that he didn't think this plant was fragrant. I'm too
new to orchid growing to know one way or the other. (Heck... I didn't
think my plant was fragrant until I put it outside on that really warm
afternoon. Peter's post is still available via Google, for reference.

About my plant, I have no idea what variety it might be. I actually
bought it from someone on Ebay who was moving and no longer had
room for it. (It's a big sucker!) I bought it mostly for its
attractive mottled leaves, so I actually didn't care if it ever
bloomed. Basically, I was happy just living with it because its just
darned pretty. Whatever its true pedigree, it's been a delightful
house plant. Those 4 big blooms are still going strong as of today --
and they opened in late January.

I'm thinking I really got my money's worth with this one! It's a
keeper... for sure! G

* * * * *
Karen C.
Southern CT / USDA Zone 6
Spammers be damned! I can't be emailed from this account...

"Gardeners know all the best dirt!"