How fragrant are spring orchids from different regions? An analysis of the fragrance issue of Hubei spring orchids

Spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii)The varieties from different regions do have some small differences. Jiangsu and Zhejiangspring orchidsgenerally have paler petal colors, with more purple veins on the bud sheaths; Hubei, Henan, Shaanxi and Anhuispring orchidsare the same, mainly with darker petal colors and more white bud sheaths; the spring orchids of Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan come in two types, one with thinner petals and even thinner bud sheaths, and the other with thick petals known as douban. Among these four types of spring orchids, the thin-petaled spring orchids of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan are the most fragrant, the most mellow, and free of off-odors; next come the spring orchids of Jiangsu and Zhejiang; among the spring orchids of Hubei, Henan, Shaanxi and Anhui, the ones with noticeably strong fragrance are the Anhui spring orchids and those from southern Hubei, whose fragrance differs little from that of Jiangsu and Zhejiang spring orchids, and some are very fragrant too, but on the whole their fragrance is a bit lighter than that of Jiangsu and Zhejiang spring orchids. Among the fragrant spring orchids of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Hubei, flowers with a slightly pungent off-odor sometimes appear. Whether Anhui and Hubei spring orchids are fragrant also depends on temperature and moisture during the flowering period; here the temperature during the flowering period of spring orchids is lower, which is not conducive to the volatilization of the fragrant oils, so it is not entirely a problem of the spring orchids themselves. Douban spring orchids are generally not fragrant. The spring orchids of southwestern Hubei, namely the Enshi region, belong to the same strain as those of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan, and are very fragrant and mellow. This also reflects the complexity of Hubei's geography and theorchids'diversity, so one cannot simply say whether Hubei's spring orchids are fragrant or not.