The Sweet Scent of Brassavola Orchids

Brassavola nodosa, orchid species flowers, fragrant white flowers, Lady-of-the-night orchid, Orquídea dama de noche, Orchids in the Park 2010, San Francisco, CaliforniaBrassavola nodosa 'Susan Fuchs' FCC/AOS, orchid species flower, fragrant white flower, Lady-of-the-night orchid, Orquídea dama de noche, Orchids in the Park 2017, San Francisco, CaliforniaBrassavola nodosa, orchid species flowers, fragrant white flowers, Lady-of-the-night orchid, Orquídea dama de noche, Pacific Orchid Expo 2006, San Francisco, California

Brassavola orchids feature showy, durable, fragrant flowers. These Cattleya relatives have white or greenish-yellow blooms which emit a strong, sweet fragrance at night. The most popular in cultivation is Brassavola nodosa, shown in the first row of photos above. It’s an easy species to grow. Native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, its nocturnal perfume inspires the Spanish nickname orquídea dama de noche, or lady of the night orchid.

Brassavola cucullata, daddy long-legs orchid, orchid species flower, fragrant white flower, Orchids in the Park 2017, San Francisco, CaliforniaRhyncholaelia digbyana, AKA Brassavola digbyana, orchid species flower, fragrant flower with fringed flower lip, national flower of Honduras, Pacific Orchid Expo 2018, San Francisco, CaliforniaBrassavola perrinii, orchid species flowers, fragrant white and yellow flowers, Pacific Orchid Expo 2012, San Francisco, California

Brassavolas can handle warm, dry conditions better than many orchids. They need standard Cattleya care, with some full sun, good humidity and air movement, time to dry out between waterings, and winter dormancy. Their terete, or pencil-shaped, leaves are efficient at storing water, and can handle bright light. They are often grown on mounts, or in clay pots with large bark, to allow them to dry quickly.

Brassavola acaulis, orchid species flowers and leaves, terete or pencil-shaped leaves, fragrant white flowers, Montreal Botanical Garden, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaBrassavola acaulis, orchid species flowers, fragrant white flowers, Montreal Botanical Garden, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaBrassavola David Sander, orchid hybrid flower, fragrant white and pink flower with fringed flower lip, Montreal Botanical Garden, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Brassavolas are part of the lineage of many Cattleya hybrids. They have contributed their toughness, fragrance, elaborate fringed lips, or long, narrow petals to their descendants. Plants with names like Brassolaeliocattleya (abbreviated Blc.) and Brassocattleya (abbreviated Bc.) owe the “Brasso-” to this genus. A couple of these species used to be Brassavolas until they were renamed as Rhyncholaelias, but old appellations often persist in hybrid names.

Rhyncholaelia glauca, AKA Brassavola glauca, orchid species flower, fragrant white flower, Pacific Orchid Expo 2013, San Francisco, CaliforniaBrassavola leaves growing on tree trunk at Foster Botanical Garden, terete or pencil-shaped leaves, epiphyte or air plant, Honolulu, Oahu, HawaiiBrassavola orchid growing on underside of tree branch on Pacific Ocean beach, leaves and roots, terete or pencil-shaped leaves, epiphyte or air plant, Quepos, Costa Rica

The final photo in this post shows just how tough these plants are. It’s a Brassavola growing on the underside of a tree branch on a beach in Costa Rica, only a few yards (a few meters) from the Pacific’s waves. In brutal tropical heat, and doused with salt spray, there were many other Brassavolas nearby, obviously happy despite the tough conditions.

Explore posts in the same categories: Dormancy, Fragrant Orchids, Growing, Photos, Warm Growers, Watering

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