Burnt toast and car exhaust?
 

I bought my first orchid, a Phal, three days ago or so. When I smelled it then it smelled like car exhaust, not very strong, but still. Today, it smelled different, like burnt toast. Is there something wrong or is it supposed to smell funky? I read that Phals don't usually have a scent so I'm wondering. Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated.

There are some fragrant Phals - haven't heard of any funky smelling ones, but I still suspect that's just the way yours smells. Some orchids (as well as other flowers) just don't have a pleasant fragrance.

There are phals that do have a fragrance and I have seen one or two of the 'fragrances' described as 'unpleasant' so maybe that is what they mean. Must be interesting. : )

Whew! Glad to hear nothing is wrong with it. Yeah it is interesting, maybe it will smell different in another three days :P Thanks yall :)

A pic of it? I want to see what this stinker looks like! Smell is also very personal, one person may think a flower smells nice, which another thinks it's terrible. Except, of course, if it's a stinker Bulbo. Then everyone agrees that it's unpleasant!

The "stinker" is avatar picture :) it's lovely but quite interesting to smell indeed lol

Just wondering, could you possibly be smelling the medium rather than the flower?

Put my nose right up to the stinker and yes it is the orchid and not the media, weird I know lol

Would you mind telling what it is so I never order it, lil....

Just a Phal NOID I bought at Lowe's. It's not strong or anything at all, you have to put your nose right up to it basically. I would prefer a nice smelling orchid though in the future. I heard a "chocolate orchid" is the shiznit.