Oncidium Heaven Scent ‘Redolence’

Oncidium Heaven Scent is the next generation on from the old favourite Oncidium Sharry Baby, which smells like chocolate.  For me what makes Oncidium Heaven Scent a much better plant over its parent Oncidium Sharry Baby is the shorter more compact spike habit and the higher density of flowers.  Of the two cultivars I’ve seen of Heaven Scent, I personally prefer the fuller more defined flower of ‘Redolence’.  As you can see the flower is a red and white boiled candy humbug type of pattern, which when combined with the wider sepals and petals of the flower just makes for a great display.  Now that’s not to say that the sister plant is a poorer plant, as the cultivar ‘Sweet Baby’, which I’ll post about later, has its own appeal.

The fragrance of Oncidium Heaven Scent ‘Redolence’ is a delightfully light almost lemony perfume that pervades the morning air.  Generally we don’t get to smell them as they’re gone as the first flowers are opening.

Recently I noticed on one of the stock plants a third spike developing below where the previous two spikes had been produced (see photo).  This is something you’ll see on Oncidium intergenerics from time to time, or on the really rare occasion actually happening on the old bulb even after the next bulbs have been produced and are flowering.  This spike has grown up to 3 feet high (900mm) which is unusual for ‘Redolence’ that normally only gets a 2 foot or 600mm spike.