Today the air in the greenhouse is full of the heady scent from prosthechea aemula. This species is native to warm, wet forests over a wide range through Central and South America.

The species is a vigorous grower with 15cm pseudobulbs and 25cm long dark green leaves produced each summer and long lasting sprays of up to nine flowers from each pseudobulb in early spring.

The scent is described by orchid project students as a mix between white chocolate and play-doh and is really rather nice though a little overpowering if you get too close as we have sixteen spikes out on the plant today.

We grow the species in a large basket in warm Americas and it needs very little attention apart from heavy watering.