This Orchid Stinks
 

I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

There is something wrong with your nose. ;=)

I had a group from H&R Nursery and got a chance to see a dozen or so bloom
and they did not have any fragrance at all, day or night, and I thought that
was odd. My nodosa has a very pleasant fragrance.

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

Gene,

Have you had problems getting this plant to bloom in the past?
Have you as a result been moving it closer to the garbage?
Maybe once it actually bloomed you forgot to move it further away from the
garbage? ;-)

Joanna

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

Gene,

Have you had problems getting this plant to bloom in the past?
Have you as a result been moving it closer to the garbage?
Maybe once it actually bloomed you forgot to move it further away from the
garbage? ;-)

Joanna

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

Sorry for the double-post my news server went berserk in the middle of
trying to post this message.
Joanna

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
Gene,

Have you had problems getting this plant to bloom in the past?
Have you as a result been moving it closer to the garbage?
Maybe once it actually bloomed you forgot to move it further away from the
garbage? ;-)

Joanna

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

Gene -
I've had one with about 50 blooms at one time, and although the
fragrance was stronger some nights than I'd have liked, it never smelled
awful.
Tom
Walnut Creek, CA, USA
(To reply by e-mail, remove APPENDIX)

From: "Gene Schurg"
Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net
Reply-To: "Gene Schurg"
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.orchids
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 03:18:00 GMT
Subject: This Orchid Stinks

I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

Little Stars is quite nice in my book - mine typically flowers with about 30
spikes at a time - and smell quite nice.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

Joanna,

I've had this plant less than a year having purchased it when it went out of
bloom for $10 at a local nursury. After potting it up to a 6 inch pot it
threw out four growths of which three bloomed and made a nice display. I
give it lots of light and no other special treatment.

It only smells when it's dark. I took it to the local society meeting
Monday and when I took the plastic bag off it stunk. After two hours in the
light the fragrance was very dull. When I got it home in the dark car and
opened the bag it gave off the same odor.

Maybe I need my nose tuned up?

Good growing,
Gene




"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
Gene,

Have you had problems getting this plant to bloom in the past?
Have you as a result been moving it closer to the garbage?
Maybe once it actually bloomed you forgot to move it further away from the
garbage? ;-)

Joanna

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

30 spikes...sigh... and here I was happy my little one has four spikes about
ready to open! I just love the fragrance on this one, and could fill my
whole house with them...but then my allergic family members would have to
move out...wait..that's not such a bad idea...all those rooms I would have
for orchids......

--

Hugs,
Molli


"Ray" wrote in message
...
Little Stars is quite nice in my book - mine typically flowers with about
30
spikes at a time - and smell quite nice.

This Orchid Stinks
 

Hi Gene, Maybe your plant is trying to tell you something? I wonder
if a plant absorbs fert or chems & it comes out along with the natural
fragrance?
--
Cheers Wendy
Remove PETERPAN for email reply


"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
k.net...
Joanna,

I've had this plant less than a year having purchased it when it went out
of
bloom for $10 at a local nursury. After potting it up to a 6 inch pot it
threw out four growths of which three bloomed and made a nice display. I
give it lots of light and no other special treatment.

It only smells when it's dark. I took it to the local society meeting
Monday and when I took the plastic bag off it stunk. After two hours in
the
light the fragrance was very dull. When I got it home in the dark car
and
opened the bag it gave off the same odor.

Maybe I need my nose tuned up?

Good growing,
Gene




"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
Gene,

Have you had problems getting this plant to bloom in the past?
Have you as a result been moving it closer to the garbage?
Maybe once it actually bloomed you forgot to move it further away from
the
garbage? ;-)

Joanna

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about
20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

I am rather surprised to find a stinky Brassavola. Most Brassavolas are
faintly sweet smelling and only at night. On the other hand, the
fly-attracting Bulbophyllums can be wretched smelling.

.. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System
http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html

-----------------
Ray wrote:

Little Stars is quite nice in my book - mine typically flowers with about 30
spikes at a time - and smell quite nice.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 14:56:15 -0800, profpam wrote in
Message-Id: :

I am rather surprised to find a stinky Brassavola. Most Brassavolas are
faintly sweet smelling and only at night.

I have a Brassavola cucullata that has probably the most pleasant
orchid fragrance I have experienced. Its medium-strong, sweet,
citrusy pungency permeates a room about an hour after sunset on until
morning. Absolutely delightful fragrance.

Perhaps Gene's Brassavola is a sport.

On the other hand, the fly-attracting Bulbophyllums can be wretched smelling.

Troy Meyers provided a flask of Bulbo echnolabium I'm growing out.
I've heard (but not experienced) they have a bit of scat scent.

This Orchid Stinks
 

Gene,

Your post inspired me to search the rgo archives for other posts of stinking
orchids. Found a story of someone about two years ago who had used fish
emulsion as fertilizer for about 20-30 orchids he then placed in a spare
bedroom. The post mentioned something about his wife being kind and trying
to not mention the horrible stench, but then goes on to say that "the smell
is so bad I find myself avoiding that end of the hallway". I found the post
somewhat amusing in a macabre humor sort of way, so I thought I would share
it with the group (though I know that some of you, who have been around
longer, may still remember this story).

Joanna

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
k.net...
Joanna,

I've had this plant less than a year having purchased it when it went out
of
bloom for $10 at a local nursury. After potting it up to a 6 inch pot it
threw out four growths of which three bloomed and made a nice display. I
give it lots of light and no other special treatment.

It only smells when it's dark. I took it to the local society meeting
Monday and when I took the plastic bag off it stunk. After two hours in
the
light the fragrance was very dull. When I got it home in the dark car
and
opened the bag it gave off the same odor.

Maybe I need my nose tuned up?

Good growing,
Gene




"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
Gene,

Have you had problems getting this plant to bloom in the past?
Have you as a result been moving it closer to the garbage?
Maybe once it actually bloomed you forgot to move it further away from
the
garbage? ;-)

Joanna

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about
20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene

This Orchid Stinks
 

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 14:44:18 GMT, "Gene Schurg"
wrote:

light the fragrance was very dull. When I got it home in the dark car and
opened the bag it gave off the same odor.

Maybe I need my nose tuned up?

Good growing,
Gene

Gene -
I find the full bodied fragrance enough to give me a headache but
it is because it is too concentrated in the plastic bag. Once it
has disbursed a bit it is sweet - but sometimes overly sweet to
become sickly so. It should smell heavily floral. Depending on
your reaction to tuberoses or something heavily floral, it may be
too much.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

This Orchid Stinks
 

We've grown and sold a lot of Little Stars. Most people love the fragrance.
It's a bit too sweet/overpowering for my own personal taste, but I've never
heard anyone compare the scent to garbage before ...

--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids

http://www.jborchids.com

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
I have a beautiful B. Little Stars (nodosa x cordata) that has about 20
flowers on it. At night it smells like pungent rotting garbage.

Somehow I expected it to smell nice. Anyone else have this cross? Is
mine
unique or is this how it's supposed to smell.

BTW....it's quite beautiful but just stinks.


Good Growing,
Gene