Before Singapore became the futuristic, high-tech Asian giant it is today, our little red dot was a magically green city with an unbelievable bio-diversity. Even today, you can find trees all around you, some with orchids growing on top of them. One can always admire the visual respite that the flora offers, but isn’t it better to experience these beautiful flowers by smelling them? This inspired us to create a perfumery where you can experience the clean and green garden city of Singapore via its scents.
There were once more than 220 Native Orchids in Singapore. Over time, many have become extinct, while many are still endangered. We have managed to study some of them and bring your exotic scented oils from this collection.
This is partial list of Orchid scented Oils we have in stock that we offer you to make your Signature Scent.
If you like to read more about planting and caring for "Native Orchids of Singapore", Nparks has a great library and resources about it.
There were once more than 220 Native Orchids in Singapore. Over time, many have become extinct, while many are still endangered. We have managed to study some of them and bring your exotic scented oils from this collection.
This is partial list of Orchid scented Oils we have in stock that we offer you to make your Signature Scent.
If you like to read more about planting and caring for "Native Orchids of Singapore", Nparks has a great library and resources about it.
We stock variety of perfume Ingredients. This page covers only the Singaporean Orchids Others are detailed separately. Click to know more about common perfume ingredients, rare perfume ingredients, Ayurvedic essentials, Ancient perfume & essential oil recipes and your perfume making oils at scentopia
Bulbophyllum Vaginatum - Used in Citrus 1 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Bulbophyllum Vaginatum is a native species of Singapore and they usually flower after a heavy thunderstorm during a hot period. It has faint buy beautiful citrus, almost sweet with a hint of Litchi. In Java fruit of this plant is boiled and applied to relieve ear-ache. According to Ms Eng Soon Teoh's book, NUS researchers were able to isolate 21 phenanthrenes, dihydrophenanthrenes, bibenzyls, phenanthrofuran and other aromatic compounds. Most of teh 21 compounds were present in several other Orchid variety. But there was a unique complex molecule phenanthro(4,3-b)furan. No one know if this is responsible for its medicinal properties, but most ancient medicinal records from India, China, Africa have mentioned that this Orchid is used for lot of sickness including cough, bronchitis, etc. |
Coelogyne Mayeriana - Used in Citrus 2 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Beautiful lemon fragrance. The species are characterised by it attractive, clear, apple-green petals and sepals. However, the flowers only last for a few days. In 1928 Carr reports that the species was pollinated by wasp which were attracted to the flowers scent. It had been extinct in Singapore but luckily it was still found in the region - lowland forest of Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Philippines, and Borneo at elevations of 0 to 100 meters. This species has been successfully reintroduced to several parks and roadside trees in Singapore. Almost like a sharp lemon mixed with lime flower. This plant is pollinated by wasps that get attracted to its smell. |
Rhynchostylis Gigantea - Used in Citrus 3 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
This species has a very strong citrus fragrance. Rhynchostylis are also commonly called foxtail orchids because of their long, thin, densely packed inflorescences with sweetly fragrant blooms. The inflorescences appear in autumn and winter. In our, Singaporean climate, it generally flowers about 1-3 times a year depending on climate. Its flowers are highly fragrant and last up to 3 weeks in our climate. It has very powerful Citrus smell. This was most difficult for us to find as it blooms primarily in Jan and Feb. |
Cymbidium golden Elf - Used in Citrus 4 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Ornamental & fragrant- This is how Npark's describes it on their website. One of the most famous Orchid as it is easy to care, beautiful to look at and has free flowering traits. This fragrant, golden-yellow miniature is extremely floriferous and worth keeping in any collection. We find the smell to be a soft mix of lemon and yuzu, making it a beautiful fresh morning smell. It's bright yellow which goes with the smell so well. |
Aeridachnis-Bogor - Used in Citrus 5 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Commonly called "Apple Blossom Orchid". Beautiful and mild smell. The flower start with an apple green color at initial budding and matures to a pure white colour with a tinge of pink at lips. These flowers are very suitable for use as tabletop flower, offices, wedding and other events. They spruce up the surrounding environment with its unique scent and are great to look at. It is a hybrid developed in 1967. We included this because of it's exotic apple-blossom smell. |
Vanda Mimi Palmer - Used in Citrus 6 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Npark's website states it's status as Exotic (Horticultural / Cultivated Only). The flowers are sweetly scented and have strong dark brown tessellations on the petals and sepals except for the lip which is mauve in colour. This is mother flower to many great-smelling hybrids, so you can only imagine how great this would smell. You probably do not even need to mix it with any other oil. This itself is a beautiful perfume. |
Vanda Tessellata - Used in Citrus 7 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
This is a wonderful Vanda species some believe was native to India. Others believe that it was found in IndoChina region. Semi-terete leaves make for a smaller stature than most strap-leaf vandas. The flowers have a wonderful contrast with tan-brown petals and sepals and a purple lip. Some people think that it smells like s'mores. But most people found a beautiful sweet-citrus smell to it. Flowers generally live long occuring in the summer, fall and early winter. Beautiful floral smell, with hints of Mulberry and guava, that no one can ignore. This is widely used in Asia as a cure-all. Ask your grand-ma and she might have a story to tell you about it. Its ayurvedic names are Rasna/Rasya. The orchid contains variety of alkaloids, tannins, resin, saponin, beta & gamma sitosterols, fatty oil. It had anti-arthritic,. Blood pressure management and wound healing effect in rats. Ancient cultures have used this Orchid extensively for anti-ageing. |
Hoya imperialis - Used in Citrus 8 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Hoya imperialis are large flowers and get spectacular pink with white corona when mature. Sometimes the corona is pink as well. It is a good bloomer and you will feel very rewarded when you see the flowers. Since Hoyas are likely to bloom earlier and more often in smaller pots, don't use a pot that is too big. Another tip for Orchid lovers- keep the room temperature above 60F. Hoya's are known to grow fast, but this one will exceed all expectations. We found someone stating that their grew 30ft in 18 months. The flowers smell amazing in the evening, with hints of Neroli. They are fragrant, in fact very fragrant. |
Diacattleya-Pink - Used in Citrus 9 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Many Orchid lover think Most Cattleya's are fragrant, but the Orchid grower will tell you otherwise. Many Cattleya do smell and smell fantastic, but some specially the beautiful ones disappoint people when it comes to scent. This one has a beautiful perfume and the flower changes its colour from pink to beige as it grows. This Orchid is both fragrant and amazing to look at. A perfect gift for someone you like. |
Cymbidium Bicolor Pubescens - Used in Fresh 1 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Nparks website states them as "Laterally compressed with thick long leaves, up to 45cm long and 1.5cm wide. Each pendulous inflorescence not more than 25cm long, carries several fragrant flowers, each approx 2.5 to 3cm in diameter." Cymbidium often have amazing smell, but this one is special. It's will remind you of a lotus in water or beautiful air on the beach. Its a popular medicinal orchid. Sri Lankans call it Visa Dhooli. In china is is used to treat fractures. |
Cymbidium Finlaysonianum - Used in Fresh 2 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
This is found on so many trees, in so many lanes in Singapore. Nparks state's its habitat as "Widespread species that grows on large trees or rocks in well-lit and open areas, and can be found inland forest, coastal forest/cliff." and they have used it in "Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Coastal, Beachfront / Shoreline, Skyrise / Balcony, Hanging Basket" Blossoms are long lasting and fragrant. Some people pick up a dash of coconut smell. Traditional Malaysian medicine man have used it to remove bewitchment. At that time, malevolent spirits were believed to caused several sickness. |
Flickingeria Fimbriata - Used in Fresh 3 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
This species has a watermelon scent and are found on open rocks and bluffs along streams and rivers in lowland evergreen and in medium elevation semi-deciduous forests. The large sized epiphyte with a long branching rhizome with freely branching stems giving rise to yellow, compressed pseudobulbs. They carry leaves that blooms in the spring, summer and fall on a single flowered inflorescence with sweetly scented, short-lived flower. One of the toughest to manage but very rewarding. Sanskrit name for this orchid is Jivanti , which means ‘life’. It is used for many herbs which are considered to be powerful tonics possessing rejuvenating and life- prolonging properties. Flickingeria fimbriata (Dendrobium plicatile), which has over three dozen Indian names, including 32 in Sanskrit, is shipped by the truckload across borders because it is considered to be an aphrodisiac. It is shortlisted as one of the two possible candidates for the role of Sanjeevani, the magical Indian herb mentioned in the Ramayana that is capable of reviving the dying. |
Brassavola Nodosa - Used in Fresh 4 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Lady of the Night is the common name of Brassavola Nodosa. The white to pale green flowers are usually about 3½ inches in diameter (but some may be up to 6 inches), and wonderfully fragrant in the evening. B. nodosa is a very easy orchid to grow, adapting to a wide range of conditions in cultivation. A large specimen plant may have dozens of flowers, making quite a display; but even a single flower spike is quite rewarding. There is a very very high chance that your have come across these beautiful Orchids growing on trees across town. Cineole Medicinal is primarily responsible for the fragrance, which to some is like citronellol+rose. |
Vrydagzynea albida - Used in Fresh 5 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Found in lower montane tropical rainforests along stream banks in dark and damp places with creeping rhizomes. It has erect stems, carrying 6 to 8, spaced out leaves that blooms in the late spring through early fall. They have many flowered, pubescent inflorescence with few to many at a time, sequentially opening flowers all held in an apical corymb. While the flowers seem to have little to no smell, the oil extracted has soft but delightful fragrance. |
Phalaenopsis Bellina - Used in Fresh 6 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Phalaenopsis bellina is a monopodial epiphytic orchid species, native to Singapore, Malaysia and Borneo. This orchid grows on trees and branches in shady lowland forests, at elevations of 200 m or lower. This is one of the most iconic Phalaenopsis species, due to its exquisite appearance and delicious fragrance. |
Gymnadenia Conopsea - Used in Fresh 7 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Gymnadenia conopsea, commonly known as the fragrant orchid, is a herbaceous plant belonging to the family Orchidaceae native to northern Europe. This is non-native to Singapore, but now is available. We added this to our collection because or its unbelievably good scent. Its one of the most common medicinal orchid. Its Chinese name is shou shen (hand ginseng), Shouzhangshen (Palm ginseng), Foshoushen (Buddha hand ginseng), Zhangshen (palm ginseng); Japanese name is Tegata-chidori. Different oil extraction methods ended up in different oil constituency. Most methods pointed to 4 active ingredients- dactylorhins A and B, loroglossin and militarine. Interestingly no alkaloids were found. It's been known to treat weakness, cough, breathlessness, bloody diarrhea, external injuries, and few other diseases. |
Gymnadenia Densiflora - Used in Fresh 8 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
It's a variation on the above Orchid and hence they look very similar and has a similar name- Marsh fragrant orchid. But the scent is very different and worth the collection. There are two other varieties- Chalk Fragrant-orchid and Heath Fragrant-orchid are more difficult to tell apart. They are aso amazing to smell, but we do not keep them in stock. |
Bulbophyllum Lobbii - Used in Floral 1 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop.
This species is a hot to warm growing orchid and will do best mounted or in a pot with a well draining medium. Bulbophyllum lobbii - Its fragrance is a mixture of jasmine and cucumber. Also known as Thailand Bulbophyllum or Sumatran Bulbophyllum. It was named after the plant hunter Thomas Lobb, who introduced it to England. This has a very unique with a very distinct smell. Bulbophyllum is parent to at least 1800 orchids, but this one is our favourite. In Thailand its leaves are used to treat burns. |
Dendrobium Crumenatum - Used in Floral 2 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop.
Commonly called pigeon orchid. Flowers are fragrant but last only for a day. It is an epiphytic orchid that is able to survive from coastal areas to forests, from suburban to urban habitats. In Singapore, this species frequently adorn the branches of mature trees growing along roadsides, in gardens, parks, and forest edges. In residential areas, they are always a welcome sight, especially during their flowering period. Sweet and Beautiful but an extremely challenging oil to extract. The bloom cycle is triggered 9 days after a sudden drop in temperature, usually as a result of rain. The scent lasts only for one day. To extract this oil, we had to artificially drop the temperature and at the right moment extract the oil and stabilize it. Malaysian, Indian and Indonesian herbal men have used its juice (from the crushed pseudobulbs) treat ear pain caused by small abscesses & boils. It's also know to treat brains and nerves. During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore and Malaya, Koriba and Watanabe (1944) wrote 'an Illustrated Useful Plants in Malaya'. They described 194 plants, of which only one was orchid- "Dendrobium crumenatum". |
Miltoniopsis Santanaei - Used in Floral 3 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
In the past, miltoniopsis were extremely popular with growers. Orchid literature from the late 1800's well into the early part of this century is filled with drawings and photographs of magnificently grown plants covered with flowers. A delightful small-growing orchid that has the scent of roses. Many of the miltoniopsis hybrids also have this quality. |
Coelogyne Rochussenii - Used in Floral 4 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
This is one of the Orchids chosen by MAS to be printed on $5 silver coin. It blooms in the winter in Singapore cultivation on a basal, with up to 40 fragrant, simultaneously opening flowers. The flowers semi-close each night and reopen in the morning with the sun's arrival. They have often a sweet scent, attracting different kinds of pollinators, such as bees, wasps and beetles.This was coincidently re-discovered in Singapore and was replanted. Now it can easily be seen at many places. |
Vanda Miss Joaquim - Used in Floral 5 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Hybrid between Papillionanthe teres and P. hookeriana, the National flower of Singapore. This is a hybrid and barely has any smell, but we had to extract it because it is the single most important Singaporean flower in our opinion. We worked extremely hard to extract and stabilise the smell, whatever little it was. You wouldn't believe the smell we found. Come and smell it anytime you like. Anthocyanins (a type of flavonoid) extracted from Vanda Miss Joaquim exhibits anti- oxidant activity. Coumarin class compounds which exhibit anticoagulant or antiplatelet activities are phenylpropanoids (three carbon side chains attached to a phenol). |
Phaius Tankervilliae - Used in Floral 6 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
It is a robust plant with oval shaped leaves up to about a metres long and flowering stems which may reach 2 metres. The flowers are the largest of any Australian orchid. The individual flowers are reddish brown and white in colour. Flowering occurs in spring. This species has become an invasive species in some countries such as Jamaica and Hawaii. In Papua the smoked flowers are eaten as a contraceptiveIt goes by several names. Some are : Nun's-hood Orchid, Chinese Ground Orchid, Nun's Orchid, Twelve Apostles. It was introduced in Hawaii and most people think of it as a Native Hawaiian flower. It sure smells like one of their Native flowers. |
Aeranthes Grandalena - Used in Floral 7 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
It is hybrid of Angraecum Magdalenae and Aeranthes Grandiflora. This is a non-native, but we had to include this is the mix because this hybrid combines fantastic traits from both parents: The Angraecum smells like Jasmine and the Aeranthes smells like butterscotch. Guess what? This smells like both and more. |
Eria Javanica - Used in Floral 8 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
The Javanese Eria - In China Xiang Hua Mao Lan- This is wide-spread in Asia because it grow in warm-to-cool climate. It also flowers almost around the year, so it is one of the most common species in garden and Orchid-farms. It has beautiful star-shaped, creamy yellow flowers packed onto a graceful arching spike. |
Neofinetia Falcata - Used in Floral 9 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Neofinetia falcata is supposed to be the first orchid ever to be grown as a house plant in Japan in the 1600’s. Also known as the Samurai Orchid, it is one of the world’s highest priced orchid (depending on the rarity of each sub-variety), with a history of some plants selling for $100,000+. Neofinetias generally flower in June and July, and at dusk and dawn. This makes the oil-extraction extremely difficult. This is another non-native Singaporean variety. But we have added due to its exotic demeanor. |
Zygopetalum Blackii - Used in Floral 10 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
A compact hybrid with beautiful, fragrant flowers smelling of hyacinth. In the afternoon smell changes a bit and a peppery scent can be detected. The flowers last 2-3 months. Almost all Zygopetalum have beautiful smell and produce beautiful flowers. The blooms are usually green and brown; striped or speckled, with a broad white velvety lip marked with purple, indigo, maroon, or fuchsia. This hybrid is no exception. |
Oncidium Sharry Baby - Used in Woody 1 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Oncidium Sharry Baby is a sympodial epiphyte orchid hybrid. It was registered in 1983 and created by Beall as a cross between Oncidium Jamie Sutton and Oncidium Honolulu The mouthwatering scent of vanilla and chocolate without the calories, makes this easy-to-grow orchid top the popularity charts. Another non-native on the list. But the smell will explain why we got tempted to keep it in stock. |
Phalaenopsis Cornu-Cervi - Used in Woody 2 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
This is one of the orchids selected by MAS to be printed on their $5 silver coin. Each rachis has 7 - 12 flowers which are arranged in two rows, fragrant and long lasting. There are several colour forms that occur in nature. They range from dark cinnamon-red (either banded or blotched), to yellow and pale green. The flowers of these species are star-shaped and they are long-lasting, with colours ranging from dark cinnamon-red to yellow and pale green. The smell itself has spicy cinnamon notes to it. |
Dendrobium Leonis - Used in Woody 3 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
As on Npark's website, it has been noted as a Medicinal (The plant is used to treat headache in Thailand.) Flower size ranges from 1.3 to 2.0cm. The flower petals are pale green or yellow with the lip being a very pale green and flushed with dark purple. Flowers have sweet, vanilla-like fragrance. For us- we picked notes of Chocolate vanilla and found the flower to resemble a laughing baby rabbit. In Thailand it is used for treating headache and locals call it : Uang takhap yai, kang pla |
Phalaenopsis Violacea - Used in Woody 4 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
The Violet Phalaenopsis has extremely fragrant flowers occuring in the spring that are borne one by one in succession on a pendant, stout, jointed, fractiflex, 10 to 12.5 cm long inflorescence with a flattened, zigzag rachis with 2 to 7, successive flowers with 2 to 3 open at any one time. The flower is small (3.5 cm wide), fragrant and mostly violet. Some varieties of this plant have some green color on the tepal edges. The plant was discovered in 1859 by Johannes Teijsmann, who sent it to the botanic garden at Leiden, Netherlands, Hortus Botanicus Leiden. It was then flowered by H. Witte. |
Oncidium Twinkle - Used in Woody 5 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Oncidium Twinkle is one of the greatest miniature Oncidiums of all time. Easy to grow, compact growth, profuse flowering, relatively disease free, and in a range of colours. This is an Oncidium hybrid and produces a strong woody and a bit spicy vanilla scent. |
Platanthera Bifolia - Used in Woody 6 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Scandinavian name: Nattviole (night violet) ; German name: Waldhyazinthe (wood hyacinth) and Chinese name: Xijushechun Lan Commonly known as Lesser Butterfly Orchid - According to an old legend Jesus was praying the night before his crucifixion and a group of angels came down to comfort him, placing themselves in lesser butterfly orchid’s flowers. In memory of that the lesser butterfly orchid’s flower is still in the shape of an angel, shining white in the twilight on summer nights and emitting a strong, pleasant scent. Apart from humans, its scent also attracts night butterflies, mainly hawk moths but also geometrid and owlet moths. SPME-GC-MS analysis of the scent of Platanthera bifolia subsp. osca collected during the night showed as main components lilac alcohols B, C and D and lilac aldehydes A, B and C. Other significant chemical components were linalool and caryophyllene . Its a non-native, but we had to add it to our collection due to legend and of course smell. It has loroglossin (a phenolic gly- coside) and phytoalexin, which make it therapeutic. Moreover, the plant leaves contain two flavonols, querce- tin and kaempferol. In Turkey and Iran, people use it to make Selap. (a healthy drink) |
Aranda Peng Lee Yeoh- Used in Woody 7 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
A Hybrid and non-native but it was a great find for us. As local Orchid nursery states- This hybrid was registered by Yeoh Bok Choon on 1st January, 1966. Aranda Peng-Lee Yeoh has a distinct vanilla fragrant that children frequently recognize this flower to be ‘chocolate orchid’. What children identify as Chocolate is actually a very complex woody mix for us. A perfect Orchid for our collection. |
Arachnis Hookeriana - Used in Oriental 1 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Arachnis hookeriana is a native species and is an epiphytic plant that grows in full sun, producing lasting scorpion-shaped flowers. This was chosen to be the parent of Hybrid "Aranda Lee Kuan Yew". The hybrid has almost lost it's smell, but the parent has a distinct Musky smell. As per Npark's website- Grows as an epiphyte or lithophyte on sandy scrub lands and coastal outcrops, 100-500m away from the beach and is native to Singapore, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and Vietnam. |
Bulbophyllum Macranthum - Used in Oriental 2 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
This orchid is pollinated by flies, so the smell is designed to attract them. Most people find smell sweet. Some think of it as clove like. Few people complain that they find it irritating. The oil we extracted has hints of spices, but we do not find it irritating in any way. It can add a lot of value to an aftershave or EDT for men and also adds lot of character to a women's fragrance when used carefully. This is another Orchid used by Singapore mints on their silver coin collection. |
Bulbophyllum Praetervisum - Used in Oriental 3 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Nparks puts this as Critically Endangered and Locally rare. In 2017, they have has added it to the list of species for which significant efforts will be made to increased population. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/~/media/nparks-real-content/news/2017/fob/factsheet-b-species-recovery-programme-updated.pdf It grows a single flower on each inflorescence. These flowers are glossy, thick, and fleshy and emit a spicy fragrance. |
Dendrobium Singaporense - Used in Oriental 4 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
This is one of the two orchid species to be named after singapore, as it was found here. The other we know of is Bulbophyllum Singaporense . This orchids has a faint but beautiful smell that resembles chrysanthemum tea. |
Eria Pannea - Used in Oriental 5 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Brilliant Vanilla smell but I personally do not like to flowers because of their white hair on the back side. But the oils is worth trying. With pleasure and respect, we would like to include a link to a tender document by URA. They have recommended adding this plant to the landscape as an effort to replant & to increase its population in Singapore. https://www.ura.gov.sg/sales/JRGTwnHall/MA/tenderdocs/JRGTwnHall-CA.pdf In Arunachal (India), this plant is one of the 34 grown for its medicinal properties. Malay, Indian, and Thai medicine also use this in medicinal bath to treat ague. Juices were extracted from plants and consumed, instilled to treat earache, or applied to snake and scorpion bites and boils. |
Dendrobium Aloifolium - Used in Oriental 6 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
Native to Singapore and Critically Endangered. It was supposed to be extinct. But, On 9 Sep.2010, in a survey carried out along the pipeline between the Upper Peirce and Upper Seletar Reservoirs, two clumps of Dendrobium aloifolium were discovered on the swampy forest floor, among thick leaf litter, under dense canopy cover. The plant is said to have a vanilla smell (of Npark's website). To us it is way more complex a smell. It's beautiful on its own and in a perfume mix, it's even better. Luckily it is found over most of southeast Asia and grows in lowland forest from sea level to 500 m and hope it makes a big come back in Singapore soon. |
Cattleya Walkeriana - Used in Oriental 17 (Women) for Team building Perfume workshop
This is not a native variety, but was loved by many people during 2017 show at Gardens by the bay. As a result we have added this to our permanent collection. Cattleya walkeriana is called the Queen of the Brazilian savannah because the heartland of this magnificent species is the Brazilian central plateau and surrounding areas. The plants are relatively small, epiphytes, lithophytes and even semi-terrestrial in leaf litter. For over 30 years, the author has devoted much of her efforts with the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment (IBAMA) to protecting and studying the rich orchid flora of Brazil. This is a diminutive beauty that has a relaxing cinnamon and vanilla fragrance. It frequently passes this quality to its offspring, so be on the lookout for hybrids that use this as a parent. |
Rhynchostylis Coelestis - Used in Citrus 1 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Nparks describes its lifespan as Perennial in Singapore. Its Morphology is stated as- Monopodial orchid to 20cm tall with Leaves green, strap like and 12-18cm long. Flowers are Inflorescence with flower spike 15-20cm tall, flushed with bluish purple, lip bluish- purple. Flowers fragrant in summer and fall. We love, love love its smell. |
Thunia Marshalliana - Used in Citrus 2 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Chinese name: Sun Lan (bamboo orchid) Chinese medicinal names: Yan Sun (rock bamboo); Yanjiao (rock horn); Shizhuzi (stone bamboo); Jiegudan (fracture union pill); Shisun (rock bamboo); Yanzhu (rock bamboo) Thai names: Chang Nga Dieo (in general), Phothuki (in Karen Mae Hong Son), Sawet sot si (in Bangkok), Ueang nga chang (in Chiang Mai) Nepalese names: Goliano The plant in Native to Indian, China, South East Asia including Singapore. The genus was first described in 1852 by H.G. Reichenbach who named it Thunia in honor of Count von Thun Hohenstein. Bloggers describe its flowers as - large, showy, fragrant, short-lived flowers sheathed by a white, cucullate, floral bract. They are certainly underestimating its smell. It has one of the most beautiful smell. Chinese herbalists use the whole plant to enrich yin, benefit the lungs, clear phlegm and stop coughs, improve blood flow, remove bruises and assist the healing of fractures. In Nepal, a paste made from the entire plant is used to help set fractures. Chemical analysis of therapeutic property- Thunalbene, 3,30-dihydroxy-5-methoxystilbene + 4 more type of stilbenoid (stilbene derivatives are anti-aging and anti-cancer), batatasin-III (exhibits anti-proliferative activity), lusianthridine, 3,7,-dihydroxy-2,4-dimethoxy- phenanthrene, 3,7-dihydroxy-2,4,8-trimethoxy- phenanthrene, cirrhopetalanthrin and flavanthrin were isolated from this Orchid. No alkaloid were found during analysis. |
Polystachya Bella - Used in Citrus 3 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
This is also a non-native Orchid. This grows at elevations from 6000 to 6400 feet in rain forests in Kenya and Uganda. the fragrant flowers are long lasting and about 1 inch wide. They opened successively on a plant that is up to 8 inches tall. Its rare in the region but the smell is so heavenly that we had to include this in our portfolio. |
Encyclia Citrina - Used in Citrus 4 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
It has pendant plants and flowers. The flowers are grouped as an inflorescence 6–10 cm (2.4–3.9 in) in length, one to two large flower, usually 5 to 6.5 cm. Its blooms are pale yellow to canary yellow or almost orange with fleshy sepals and petals. It's not native to Singapore, but its beautiful and very strong Citrus smells had made us include this to our portfolio. |
Cymbidium Kanran - Used in Citrus 5 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
A part of the orchid family, cymbidiums are posh flowers that have distinctively larger blooms with pointed edged petals, and a patterned lip. The Cold Growing Cymbidium is native to Indochina, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Japan and Ryukyu Islands. It has a light, citrusy, sweet, slightly musky scent. The scent gets stronger because it takes a while to develop after the flowers open. Chinese herbalists use the whole plant to purify the heart, smooth the lungs, or to stop coughs and asthma. Roots are used for treating gastroenteritis and ascariasis (infestation of large intestinal roundworms) |
Brassolaelia Yellow Bird - Used in Citrus 7 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Yellow Bird is a bright and will brighten your day. The flower petals start out kind of darkish orange or maroon but after a few days they turn yellow. The flowers are about 3 inches across and usually clustered 3-4 on a spike. It has garnered 11 American Orchid Society awards and flower at least two times a year. It a non native but added to our portfolio because of its smell. It's odorless during the day, but night a really beautiful smell is emitted. |
Aerides Lawrenceae var. Sanderiana - Used in Citrus 8 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Aerides, literally "child of the air". It is a genus of strong-growing monopodial epiphytes most resembling the genus Vanda. These orchids are popular for their freely produced pendent spikes of closely set, heavy, waxy, blooms. Background colour is cream yellow, with vivid magenta tips to the petals and sepals and midlobe of the labellum. It's found across South East Asia, specially tropical parts of Asia and in the Himalayan region. Nice Spicy lemon scent. |
Stanhopea Pulla - Used in Fresh 1 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
With most Stanhopea flowers lasting three days or less, the flowers must attract pollinators very quickly. The male euglossine bees are known to be important pollinators of Stanhopea flowers, collecting fragrances at these flowers over their lifetime and storing them in their hind tibia. Bees in the Euglossini tribe, including Eulaema meriana, are known to pollinate these flowers supposedly because the orchids can deceptively mimic the form of a female and her sex pheromone. Other main characteristics are that they have delicate fragrance like lemon-lime candy, cool minty, citrus. They are tight at touch and feel like plastic. Most Stanhopea, particularly tricornis have benzyl acetate. It's the same chemical naturally found in Jasmin. |
Miltonia Regnellii - Used in Fresh 2 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
An amazingly beautiful Brazilian species with 3" fusiform bulbs and few long pretty leaves. It blooms in late summer to fall. It has 3 to 5 flowered inflorescence with successively opening, flat flowers. They are greenish yellow with a large lip that is a lovely white with a yellow callus. Another non-native variety, now found at flower shops. Flowers are wonderfully scented of a floral soap. Some people have picked specific notes of Oranges. Other have also noticed notes of Coriander |
Catasetum Roseum - Used in Fresh 3 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Native to Michoacan and Oaxaca states of Mexico on the Pacific slope in oak forests or tropical deciduous forests at elevations around 500 to 1300 meters as a small to medium sized, warm to cool growing, deciduous leafed epiphyte. They bloom in the early winter on a short to 12 cm racemose inflorescence carrying several, campanulate, fragrant flowers. Its not native to Singapore, but now is found all over the globe due to its aesthetic appeal and brilliant odor. Primary reason for it's scent ir presence of chemical Methyl cinnimate in the flower. |
Epidendrum Nocturnum - Used in Fresh 4 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Its another non-native, but naturalized and cultivated in Singapore. But its extremely unique with good scent. It's native to Florida, Bahamas, West Indies, South Florida. It is usually autogamous (flowers self-pollinate) and sometimes cleistogamous (flowers self-pollinate before they open). The scent of the flower has two notes due to different chemical release. It smells of Vicks VapoRub in the morning and emits a delicate Cinnamon at Night |
Aerangis Modesta - Used in Fresh 5 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
A small sized species that occurs at altitudes of 100 to 1500 meters as an hot to warm growing epiphyte with 15 cm or shorter stems carrying obovate, fleshy-coriaceous leaves. They bloom in the spring to early summer on a to 50 cm long, pendant inflorescence with 6 to 15 well spaced, waxy, fragrant, long-lived flowers, often with the apical flower opening first and being the largest. They are intolerant of stale air and make the air smell very fragrant at night. The smell is Minty and Spicy. |
Peristeria Elata - Used in Fresh 6 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Commonly known as Dove Orchid Or Holy Ghost Orchid. The first plants of Peristeria were sent to England in 1826 and were flowered in 1831. Peristeria elata is the national flower of Panama and now very commonly found in nursery in Singapore. Nparks states that the flowers are borne on a long basal raceme with 10 to 15 waxy flowers. The flowers are fragrant and cup-shaped with white petals and sepals. The flower lip is white with purple speckles around its margin. The flowers open over a long period with only 4 to 6 flowers being open at any one time. Its has notes of delicate Citrus, with a dash of Eucalyptus. Most perfumers at our perfumery also picked sweet floral aspects. |
Lycaste Deppei - Used in Fresh 7 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
It grows on trees and rocks in humid forests and is a small to medium sized, cold to warm growing epiphyte. It is found carrying several apical, elliptic-lanceolate, plicate, deciduous, acuminate leaves that when fallen leave a few sharp spines. They have very fragrant flowers in the spring on a erect, several at once. We picked up smell of Peppermint or soft Eucalyptus. Some people in our group think it smells of root-beer, other think its anti-septic. |
Bulbophyllum Comosum - Used in Fresh 8 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Tall 13.8cm upright inflorescence with sharply pendant apex, second immature inflorescence. Plant is leafless. Flowers are porrect, sepals and petals white, sepals needle-like, marginally hispid. Flowers are wonderfully fragrant. Many website describes it a cinnamon, but got more of cinnamon with a bit of floral. And bit of moth balls., hay. |
Stanhopea Cirrhata - Used in Fresh 9 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
There are approximately sixty species in the genus Stanhopea. They are mainly found growing on steep mountain sides, trees and rocks but there are also a few terrestrial species. Although some of these species grow near sea level, others are found at altitudes up to 5000 m. It has 2 flowered inflorescence arising on a mature pseudobulb with several, inflated basal sheaths carrying small fragrant flowers for the genus and occuring in the fall. Most people will state this as smells of Vicks. We would state this as a very usable fresh ingredient. Its amazing scent is complex, but one critical ingredient is 1,8-cineole. |
Phalaenopsis Kilby Cassviola - Used in Floral 1 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
We are sure you would have seen this Orchid at some hotel or office reception center. They are most commonly found Orchids as Native variety as well as planted. Many young plants are propagated by tissue culture in the Netherlands, Taiwan and Thailand, and then are exported to other countries (including Singapore) for subsequent growth and flowering. They smell a very brilliant ‘Sweet-spicy" Fragrance |
Brassavola Martiana - Used in Floral 2 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Common Name Von Martin's Brassavola [German orchid collector and Botanist in Brazil 1800's. One of it's hybrids is named after Singapore - Brassavola Singapura . Both the varieties smell very nice and quiet similar. We have taken the parent plant as the hybrid is more difficult to grow. The smell is sort of sweet and soapy. Almost like you have just come out of shower. |
Cattleya Bicolor var. Grossii - Used in Floral 3 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Cattleya bicolor is native to Brazil where is occurring in different habitats. Typical, it is a species of epiphytic habit, but can also be found in earthly form growing on leaf litter and fallen pieces of wood of trees in forests, usually near rivers or swamps. In some regions can also be found growing on rocks. Because of it's vibrant color and beautiful smell, it has become Orchid-growers favourite and had made to lot of shops in Singapore |
Zygopetalum Artur Elle ‘Tanzanite’ - Used in Floral 4 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
These plants are hybrids of highly awarded Zygo. Artur Elle 'Tanzanite'. The seedlings are very similar to its parent. Likes intermediate conditions and never wants to become dry at the roots. They are super fragrant with a hyacinth scent but sweeter. It's spicy with notes of aromatic-floral and even faint rose. |
Laelia Perrinii - Used in Floral 5 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Common Name Perrin's Laelia after English Orchid Enthusiast 1800's. A Brazilian, medium sized, warm to cool growing, epiphytic orchid. It is found at altitudes of 700 to 900 meters. They carry a single, apical, ligulate, leathery, rounded at the apex leaf that blooms in the late summer through the winter with 2 to 6, long-lasting flowers on a to 25 cm long, raceme subtended by a large compressed sheath. Fragrant with spicy floral notes. |
Dendrobium Aureum - Used in Floral 6 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
It is native to the Himalayas, Yunnan, Nepal, Bhutan, Assam, Sri Lanka, Indochina, Malaysia and Indonesia. Dendrobium is an epiphytic orchid with clustered, cane-like, overhanging to pendulous stems. Its blooms are colourful. There are many different cultivated varieties produce different sized and coloured blooms. Dendrobium hybrid orchids are popular for their show of brightly coloured flowers along the stems. They smell fruity mixed with violets. |
Cattleya Warscewiczii - Used in Floral 7 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
This is the largest-flowered of the Cattleya genus. The flowers can reach 12 inches across from petal tip to petal tip. It also produces the largest flower spikes with as many as 10 of these huge flowers per spike. The flower spike stands almost vertical, unlike most of the other Cattleya species, which produce flowers in a horizontal plane. This vertical placement of the flowers adds to the overwhelming grandeur of the bloom spike and makes C. warscewiczii truly the king of the Cattleya species. Not to forget the smell. It smells of brilliant violets. |
Bulbophyllum Laxiflorum - Used in Woody 1 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
A magnificent display with a mild sweet scent. It is a great collector's item and a frequent bloomer. Found in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Java and the Philippines in riverine, lowland hill and lower montane forests at elevations of 100 to 1800 meters as a miniature sized, hot to cool growing. Inflorescence has fragrant flowers held in an umbel, at, or near leaf height that can occur at most any time of the year. Scent is mild but clearly Musky. Chinese medicinal names: Shizao (Stone date); Shiduo (stone bean); Yanduo (stone bean); Jinduo (golden date); Shimi (Stone rice); Duyiyanzhu (Single leaf cliff pearl) It is believed to enrich the Yin, and benefits lungs (by clearing phlegm, stopping haemoptysis) and stomach (improving appetite, helping digestion, relieving dry throat) and speeds recovery from trauma and fractures. |
Gongora Quinquenervis - Used in Woody 2 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Gongora is an epiphytic genus of sympodial orchids that are usually found between 0 and 1000m in wet tropical forests. They are easy to grow into large and showy plants. Very sweetly fragrant with notes of cinnamon, cloves and lily-of-the-valley. What makes its scent so great is presence of Natural Eugenol and Linalool |
Lycaste Aromatica - Used in Woody 3 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Lycastes are deciduous in various degrees, from the strongly deciduous, yellow-flowered species like Lycaste aromatica that flowers from leafless pseudobulbs to the evergreen types like Lycaste skinneri. Lycaste Aromatica produces large, long-lasting, showy, triangular flowers that are waxy. The plants are distinctive for their roundish pseudobulbs and broad, plicate (pleated) leaves. They smell delicious cinnamon, clove and spicy. |
Masdevallia Mejiana - Used in Woody 4 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
This species is a mini-miniature sized, warm growing, tufted, epiphyte with generally erect leaves Pleurothallis pterophora has been called the lily of the valley orchid because its numerous spikes of white bell-like flowers and sweet scent are reminiscent of that plant. The strong floral bouquet of this pretty pleurothallis is easily detected when the plant is in full flower. The scent is lily-of-valley with a tinge of spice. |
Cattleya Labiata - Used in Woody 5 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Cattleya labiata, also known as the crimson cattleya or ruby-lipped cattleya was discovered in 1818 in Brazil. Cattleya labiata was lost despite the efforts of the major orchid companies in England, France and Belgium that sent their best and most experienced plant collectors to Brazil from the 1830 through the 1880s to look for it. We can see why! It has amazing colors and great fragrance of faint spicy, cloves and other aromatic herbs. |
Dendrochilum Magnum - Used in Woody 6 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Dendrochilum magnum is truly the king of this fine genus and seems to grow easily. It's native to south east asia. Some believe it started its life in Philippines. This orchid is found in the Antique province of Panay; in the provinces of Bataan, Camarines Sur, and Rizal on the island of Luzon. In Singapore it can be easily found in wild, garden and many nurseries. The smell is usually described as “wheaty” sweet or spicy. |
Oncidium Tsiku Marguerite - Used in Woody 7 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
A popular fragrant orchid with exquisite heavy natural floral fragrance. The flowers and fragrance last about four to six weeks. Bears short sprays of very fragrant mini cream to pink flowers which are clumping. Very floriferous and easy to grow. Singaporean popular variety is Oncidium Goldiana 'Golden Shower' or "dancing GIrls". Since the smell was very similar and this scent was difficult to extract. We choose to get scent from Oncidium Tsiku Marguerite. It has nice Sweet and Soapy fragrance. |
Encyclia Polybulbon - Used in Woody 8 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
This is not-native to Singapore. It actually is native to the Caribbean from Cuba to Jamaica, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. In Mexico, these plants are found in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla and Veracruz. They usually grow in oak forests or in mixed forests, at heights of 600-2000 m. Although they are usually epiphytes, sometimes they grow on rocks. We added this orchid only for its scent. You wouldn't believe its scent, which is a mix of Sandalwood with hint of cloves. |
Sobennikoffia Humbertiana - Used in Woody 9 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Relatively rare in Singapore. Found in Madagascar at 400 - 1200 meters growing among rocks in seasonally dry evergreen forests. Morning dew is the main source of water for some of the year. Flowering occurs in April and May, blooms last moderately well. We included this because of its scent and also because of Nparks efforts to understand Orchids of the world. Nparks sent their team around the world where this was one of the flowers studied. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/sbg/research/publications/-/media/sbg/gardenwise/2014-aug-gardenwise-vol-43.pdf The scent is spice with hint of sweet Honeysuckle |
Catasetum Integerrimum - Used in Oriental 1 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
An Orchid with spicy scent and found from Mexico & Central America. We included this for its scent and unique features. There usually are 3 to 10 fleshy, fragrant flowers that do not open well. The flowers can be male, female or hermaphroditic. Flowers look like monks wearing cowls. They have the capability of ejecting their pollina from the male flower, up to 8 feet with the purpose of depositing it on an insects back that is rummaging around the flower. |
Cochleanthes Discolor - Used in Oriental 2 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Warm to cool growing epiphyte with a fan of leaves without pseudobulbs that loves humidity and good air movement, is found in Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. It has fragrant flower that appears from spring through the fall. It's not native to Singapore, but we included for its scent of candy, cedar, pepper, camphor. |
Phalaenopsis Perfection - Used in Oriental 3 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Phalaenopsis is also called a moth orchid because of its appearance. The natural habitats of these mostly epiphytic orchids are tropical places like Singapore, South-east Asia, India, southern Nepal, Papua New Guinea, southern China, Taiwan etc. We are sure you have seen these Orchids in hotels, reception, offices or perhaps in Changi Airport. If you missed them details are http://www.changiairport.com/en/airport-experience/attractions-and-services/orchid-garden/plants.html?tab=mothorchid They are good to look and and even better to smell with notes of spices, cloves, carnation. |
Zygopetalum Crinitum - Used in Oriental 4 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
It's not native, but from Brazil. This species is a medium-sized, pseudobulb, terrestrial and epiphytic orchid. Sometimes its pseudobulb is partly buried, in dense undergrowth on top of exposed mountains and in regenerating (secondary) forest. It is also found growing in branch forks (where water and detritus collect and which are humus-filled) in mid-height trees in primary forest. It prefers moderate shade and gentle air movements. We included it for its scent which is spicy-floral and similar to narcissus. |
Aerides Odorata - Used in Oriental 5 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
They are closely related to Vanda orchids, and do have a similar growth habit and bear some morphological similarity with Vanda, except having waxy, fragrant flowers with a spur differently pointed than Vanda’s flowers. It is widespread through the Himalayas, Singapore, Assam, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Andaman Islands, Myanmar and almost all south-est asia. Flowers fragrant, opening widely, 1.5-3 cm in diam., purple to almost white, often tipped and spotted purple, spur apex greenish yellow. Nparks classifies their usage as - Ornamental Flowers, Fragrant (Flowers) and you have to smell to find out why! Chinese name: Xianghuazhijia Lan (fragrant flowered Zhijia orchid) Indonesian names : Angkrek Lilin, Lau Bintang in Kalimantan Thai name: Ueang Kulaab Krapao Pid Indian name: Hameri in Orissa Fallen fruits of the plant are used to heal wounds in India. Juice extracted from the leaves is used to treat boils in the ear and nose. Vietnamese herbalists believe that, if seeds are sprinkled over the lesions, they help to heal boils and other skin disorders. It's also used to treat tuberculosis, cuts & wounds and as an oral medicine for painful swollen joints. |
Coelogyne Zurowetzii - Used in Oriental 6 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Found in and around Singapore, particularly Kalimantan and Sabah Borneo in heath forests and in freshwater swamp forests at elevations of 400 to 700 meters as a small to medium sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte. It's very close brother Coelogyne Rochussenii has been used by Singapore mint of one of the silver coins. But that doesnt have the smell that we wanted. This is spicy, cloves, lilac and a dash of candy in it's oil. |
Oncidium Cucullatum - Used in Oriental 7 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
Found in Valle de Cauca State, in southern Colombia as wellas northern Ecuador at elevations of 2500 to 4000 meters as a small sized, cold growing epiphyte or terrestrial with clustered, egg to slightly pear-shaped, slightly compressed pseudobulbs are enveloped basally by several imbricating leaf bearing sheaths. Smells of beautiful Violet |
Angraecum Compactum - Used in Oriental 9 (Men) for Team building Perfume workshop
A nocturnal plant with very fragrant flower. This species is endemic to Madagascar and locally common and widespread in highland and eastern areas, occurring from Daraina to Andohahela. Nice Citrusy scent perfectly balanced with spicy notes. |
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