Cattleya doesn`t smell!

May 20, 2008 Last reply: 18 years ago 2 Replies

When I bought the plant last year (from a garden centre, so variety unknown) its flowers were very sweetly scented. To my delight, I have managed to flower it again, and the first two flowers have just opened, but they have no scent. Shouldn`t they smell immediately on opening? I noticed the same with a zygopetalum : scented when I bought it, but not any more. Maybe it`s me, although my husband cannot smell them either.



Incidentally, when the flower spikes were just beginning to show at the top of the canes (pseudobulbs?) on the cattleya, they were green. Then they turned brown and I thought that they had rotted. I was going to pull them out with tweezers, in case they caused the canes to rot, but, fortunately, I didn`t do it straightaway, because the brown sheaths split and the buds appeared. Didn`t know that. Do now!



Thanks Kate


Hi, Kate,

Orchids can vary as to when they are fragrant. There are varieties (like Brassavola nodosa) which are fragrant only in the evening, for example. So, try sniffing at different times of the day, for starters.

I don't pretend to understand the science behind this, but I find that my fragrant orchids are less so when they are in the house, so that might be another consideration.

About those dried sheaths: some Cattleyas develop more than one sheath, so never take off the ones that look dry unless you are absolutely certain that they are done for.

Diana

Some plants are also scent-responsive to sunlight, so if they are indoors, nothing.

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required