Perfume

[Townsville]

Good Morning!

I am interested in orchid perfumes. Five of my 3 doz plants are in bloom. Of these only two have a perfume. Miltonia has a rather tangy smell - not very strong. Lcxblc has a strong scent of roses. HOWEVER, sometimes they smell and sometimes they don't. I had expected the perfume to be strongest in the evening - but it seems not.

Is there a cycle for perfume?

It has stopped raining here for a while but is very hot - 45C in the sun on the East facing verandah where my orchids live this morning - though I have put a fairly heavy shade cloth above and to the east of them. Could the heat be driving the perfume change?

Thanks - Townsville

[jerrymeola]

Scent is a sexual attraction for the insect that will fertilize the flower. Orchids have evolved to release the scent at the time most favorable for the insect to be n the area.

Night scented orchids are mostly fertilized by moths.

Orchids fertilized by other insects will have different times.

Most orchids are not scented for the first couple of days they are open. If the seed and pollen are not ready to be fertilized the orchids will delay scent. Strength of the scent can fade with time.

It is interesting to note that a fertilized flower will immediately die and wrap its petals around the seed pod to protect the newly fertilized seed.

[BillC]

Hi Aus, That is a hell-of-a temperature outside your place!! It relates to 113F and I wonder how any plant can survive let alone produce perfume. I think all you need to do for breakfast is put a pan out in the sun and break the eggs into it. Reckon you have to be tough to live in NQ. Bill

[Townsville]

Thanks Jerry - fascinating. I never dreamt that buying that first orchid would provide so much interest. Of course, in part that is due to you clever people out there who can answer newbie questions.
Hi Bill. Yes, it does get hot in the sun - though most of us can stay out of it. However, while I retreated into the shade I burned my two favourite dendrobiums. Now they have shade too, they all seem quite happy. That's another thing I have learned - these orchids are remarkably tough. I have had to baby most of my non-orchid plants - even bougainvillea has had to go under shade and get a daily watering.
Tsvlle