Orchid fragrance? Only if you sniff at the right time ...

Why do some orchids smell almost always? And others only at very specific times? We'll tell you.

It depends on the pollinator

If you've ever put your nose deep inside an orchid bloom and been disappointed not to smell anything, it's probably just bad timing.

Orchids only give off scent when pollinators would normally be around in the orchid's natural habitat.

If an orchid in nature is pollinated by a nocturnal butterfly, for example, it will smell at night because it could attract it that way.

Scents with perfume potential

However, there are also orchids whose scent is intensified during the day by sunlight in order to attract bees. And still others that only smell for a quarter of an hour in the early morning, because that's when a certain type of bee is around.

In short, the times at which orchids smell fragrant varies from species to species. Some orchids have a very strong scent, others are more discreet and some even develop blooms with no fragrance at all.

The scents are also very different: from sweet-scented or lemony to musty. No wonder that orchid fragrances are widely used by prestigious perfume producers.