Brassavola nodosa in bloom but without fragrance
 

Hi,

My brassavola nodosa that I bought a year back is in bloom. It bloomed about 3 weeks ago. I just got back from a trip out of country and havent noticed any fragrance in the night. From what I've heard the fragrance should be strong but couldnt smell anything. I'm not able to figure out the issue and feel disappointed🥺 I live in seattle area, house temperatures is at 73F. Usually watered once every week but couldnt water it for last 3 weeks when I was gone out of country. Fertilized once in 2 weeks. I'm attaching pictures of the blooms. Its grown in large chunky pine bark with some sphagnum moss. Added the moss so it can withstand being without water while I was gone.
Oh and its also grown under grow lights.

Thanks,
Sweta

It's a young plant, and maybe had a little setback with the absence of regular care. When you're looking (sniffing) for fragrance, how dark is it at night? Mine don't have much (or any) fragrance untill it's quite dark. Have a few flowers in the GH but I haven't gone out to to sniff, I move the plant outside in summer (It may be more fragrant in summer, where it can get warm bright days, perhaps outside.)

I have the exact same problem! Recently posted a very similar thread.

Hi Roberta, I haven't sniffed it close but its in my bedroom and I havent smelt any fragrance when I wake up in the night to use rest room. When it bloomed 3 weeks ago I wasnt around and kept asking my husband if he could smell any fragrance and he said no. From what I heard the smell is usually so fragrant that it fills the entire room but that hasn't been my experience. But you are right past 1.5 months it hasnt recieved proper care due to a lot of traveling. I will try to sniff it close in the night and see if there is any fragrance at all. Once the weather gets warmer I will try to get it outside but I'm hoping that it will again rebloom by summer.

Mine is never all that strong. I'll go out to the GH tonight and give a sniff, to see it there is any aroma now in winter. As far as bloom time goes, actually summer is the peak, but they can pop out a few flowers any time. Mine started out as just a couple of growths, now it has stuffed a basket and is mostly outside of it. So when they're happy they can definitely turn into something very nice.

Some cultivars do have more fragrance than others. Mine is generic, got it off a society raffle table years early in my "orchid career" so it has survived a lot of rookie mistakes and less-than-ideal care. Definitely robust.

Thanks Roberta let me know if you find the blooms to be fragrant at all. I bought mine at the northwest garden festival last year in February from Emerald Orchids vendor, and after repotting it grew new pseudobulbs and roots but no blooms until this winter. That would be very disappointing if this B.nodosa isnt fragrant. I have one more baby B.nodosa from olympic orchids but that will take a while to mature

Mine is blooming now and is very fragrant at night. It does fill the room especially in the early morning hours but is done by 7am. I’ve had it for close to 20 years and it has always had a spicy sweet smell in bloom at night.