Orchids are known for their exceptional beauty, but they can actually fill your home with incredible scents too. They offer a spectrum of aromas, like sweet vanilla or exotic spices.
But here’s the interesting part: those scents aren’t made for us. Orchids use fragrance to attract pollinators like bees, moths, hummingbirds, flies, and beetles. That’s why some smell sweet and floral, while others can smell downright unpleasant, because certain insects are drawn to those strong odors.
The scent can also change with time. Some orchids are fragrant during the day, others at night, depending on when their pollinators are active. Warm, humid weather usually makes the fragrance stronger, and the intensity can also depend on how mature the flower is.
Of course, how we perceive fragrance is personal. What smells heavenly to one person might be overwhelming to another. For example, I love floral scents but can’t stand cinnamon, while others find cinnamon comforting. Age, health, and even individual plants can all affect how we experience orchid fragrance.
With all that in mind, I’ve gathered some of the most fragrant orchid species that can turn your space into a natural perfume haven. Let’s explore which ones might be the best fit for your home.
The Top Fragrant Orchid Species
- Brassovola nodosa, also known as the Lady of the Night. It is beginner-friendly, easy to care for, and very fragrant at night because moths pollinate it. It has a sweet and citrusy smell that is a blend of the scent of lime and gardenia.
- Oncidium Sharry Baby is known for its sweet chocolate/vanilla scents, especially in the morning.
- Phalaenopsis bellina has a sweet, fruity, citrusy scent with hints of rose. Unlike typical floral scents, Bellina has an enchanting, unique fragrance similar to maraschino cherry syrup. The smell is more potent outdoors, mainly when new blooms occur.
- Maxillaria tenuifolia has an intense coconut cream pie odor that can be smelled from a distance. Some say its fragrance is similar to chocolate, pineapple scent, others say it resembles the scent of sun tan lotion.
- Zygopetalum maculatum has a spicy scent with notes of grape or hyacinths. Therefore, it is also referred to as spicy grapes.
- Neofinetia falcata has a very delicate and elegant smell like jasmine, both during the day and at night. Some people often compare its smell to honeysuckle, vanilla, and orange blooms.
- Dendrobium anosmum has a strong but pleasant fragrance like raspberry cream, but it often smells like a strawberry.
- Gymnadenia conopsea (commonly known as fragrant orchid) has a slightly different but pleasant fragrance that resembles clove or is reminiscent of carnation. Common family plants share different fragrances.
- Rhynchostylis has a mostly floral scent. Some people often described its smell as a blend of spicy and citrusy with hints of cinnamon.
- Vanda coerulescens typically blooms in winter with grape-scented flowers. The fragrance is often related to grape bubble gum.
- Phalaenopsis Sweet Memory is famous for its sweet scent, which is a mixture of roses and citrusy. The fragrance is strong enough to fill the entire room.
- Cattleya walkeriana is a perfect blend of sweet, citrus, and floral scent. During the day, it smells like lime and roses.
- Encyclia cordigera has a unique odor that varies from plant to plant. Some say it’s similar to honey and vanilla. While others reported it has a floral smell like roses.
- Oncidium ornithorrychium has a mixture of baby powder, vanilla, spicy, and grape-like scent. The scent is unique, unlike other species of this species.
- Phalaenopsis violacea is known for its strong but sweet, spicy, fruity, and floral scent. The fragrance is unique. It has notes of lilac, jasmine, citrus, and cinnamon, similar to spiced Christmas cookies.
- Dendrobium kingianum is known for its sweet and pleasant fragrance. Its scent often resembles honey, lilac, or hyacinth.
- Bifrenaria harrisoniae, commonly known as fragrant rock orchids, have a fruity, spicy, and honey scent reminiscent of ripe pears.
- Angraecum sesquipedale is one of the most amazing and impressive fragrances, similar to jasmine. It is fragrant mainly at night to lure pollinators like moths.
- Burrageara Nelly Isler has sweet and citrusy fragrant blooms that can be smelled across the room. The scent is similar to an expensive, fragrant lotion. Many people compared its smell to Tropicana rose.
- Zygopabstia is known for a rich scent which is a blend of spicy, like hyacinth, and floral fragrance.
FAQs
Are All Cattleya Orchids Fragrant?
No, not all Cattleya orchids are fragrant. Some Cattleya species and hybrids are famous for their sweet and pleasant fragrance. Others have little to no fragrance. Some popular fragrant species are Cattleya bicolor, Cattleya aclandiae, Cattleya schilleriana, and Cattleya walkeriana.
What Is The Most Fragrant Cymbidium?
The most fragrant Cymbidium orchids are Cymbidium tracyanum and Cymbidium ebureum. Both are known for their sweet and potent smell. Once you smell Cymbidium tracyanum, it’s intensely spicy, and it won’t get out of your mind. Cymbidium ebureum has a sweet lilac scent, which is strong during the day.
Are Vanda Orchids Fragrant?
Yes, the majority of Vanda orchid species and hybrids are fragrant, and range from sweet, citrusy, floral, and spicy notes. Some Vanda varieties, such as Vanda dearei, Vanda merrillii, Vanda tricolor, and Vanda denisoniana, offer sweet and spicy fragrance.
What Is The Most Fragrant Orchid?
There are fragrant orchids in almost every orchid clan. But when choosing the best fragrant orchid, Brassavola nodosa, aka Lady of the Night, is the favorite among orchid keepers. It is known for its lovely, sweet, and citrusy perfume similar to lime and gardenia.
How To Care For Gymnadenia conopsea (Fragrant Orchid)?
Gymnadenia conopsea is an easy-to-care orchid that thrives best in cool, moist, and medium bright light conditions with partial shade. It prefers regular watering, especially during the growing season.
Summing Up
Growing fragrant orchids is a rewarding experience. You can transform your home into a fragrant oasis, as it offers a unique blend of sensory delight and horticultural challenge.
The sweet vanilla tones of Oncidium ornithorrychium, the citrusy notes of Cymbidium, and the rich, spicy aroma of Oncidiums each offer their charm.
Brighten your room and also fill it with a fragrance that makes your home feel welcoming and alive!
