CHOCOLATE-SCENTED ORCHIDS: National Orchid Day

Today is National Orchid Day. Don't worry, you didn't land on a garden site. I thought to celebrate this holiday on Dying for Chocolate, I'd mention some orchids that smell like chocolate. FYI: They don't taste like chocolate, but the smell is the next best thing, especially if you love orchids.

CHOCOLATE-SCENTED ORCHIDS

Sharry Baby is a chocolate oncidium that produces multiple spikes with dozens of tiny blossoms. Although the petals appear to be delicate, they're really quite firm with almost a leathery feel--and the smell, well it smells just like chocolate! The scent can be addictive, but you won't gain weight. I have a few, and I'm pretty sure I picked them up at Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's, by the way, has some very fine earth-friendly chocolate, as well as great orchids.

Heaven Scent is a cross of oncidium Sharry Baby and Mtdm. Ruffles. Mtdm. Ruffles has a light vanilla scent and the hybrid has the same chocolate smell. The plant has one very nice characteristic added from Mtdm. Ruffles in that the leaves have less spotting than Sharry baby. 

Encyclia phoenicium is a fragrant Cuban orchid that smells of chocolate and sends up a spray of flowers with small Cattleya like shape. Not as easy to find as Oncidium Sharry Baby.

Remember, you can always eat chocolate in the hothouse while tending your orchids. Warm chocolate is soooo good.

Interested in other chocolate-scented plants? Check out my post on the Chocolate Garden.