Smell plays a big role in everyone’s life - it is a familiar component of our sensations, and we do not focus on it special attention. Smells surround us everywhere and affect our mood, physical state. Some of them I like, some of them irritate and cause headache, and some evoke memories and evoke visual images. This fully applies to flowers that smell - their aroma can be both pleasant and irritating. It even happens that the name of a flower does not mean anything, but its smell immediately gives away a visual image.

Reasons for the smell of flowers

The reason for the smell in plants lies in the presence essential oils in its various parts: stem, roots, leaves, flowers, bark, seeds. The chemical structure of oils has its own characteristics - when exposed to certain temperatures, it breaks down into molecules that spread through the air, emitting a certain odor. The combination of all these odors gives the plant its aroma.

On a note! A flower that smells attracts pollinating insects or, conversely, repels pests and herbivores - nature has arranged it so that everything in it strives to extend its life cycle.

Also, phytoncides of essential oils help plant organisms resist infection by bacteria and viruses.

Each flower crop is uniquely adapted to specific pollinators, for example:

• flowers pollinated by moths open closer to night, and their aroma at this time reaches its maximum;
• bright large beautiful flowers attract insects by their appearance, therefore, most often, their aroma is less pronounced than that of small flowers;
• the aroma of light-colored flowers is more fragrant and delicate;
• predator plants smell foul and unpleasant, thereby repelling insects, but attracting flies, which pollinate them.

The most fragrant flowers in the world

In the variety of flowering crops, there are very fragrant flowers, and there are also those whose aroma is barely noticeable. These are representatives of exotic species, and those that are not particularly remarkable, but they are all beautiful in their own way and deserve attention and recognition. Let's get acquainted with some of them - find out the name of the flower, its features and where it comes from.

Plumeria in nature is a tall tree with long, oval-shaped, leathery leaves of a bright green color. The birthplace of the culture is the tropics of the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean Islands, the South American continent and the southern part of the Asian region.

The decorative effect of the tree is given by leaves and fleshy, strong pleasant aroma five-petaled flowers, similar to stars with rounded edges, collected in dense inflorescences. The color of the flower is delicate, warm shades, and in the center it is golden yellow, which makes it especially attractive.

The flowers emit their strongest aroma before sunrise and in the evening, when the sun goes down. Interestingly, in bright sunshine the flowers have almost no scent.

On a note! The smell of flowers attracts insects in search of nectar, but there is no nectar in plumeria flowers! But the aroma played its role - the plant was pollinated.

It is impossible to say that the aroma has a specific smell - it contains jasmine and citrus notes, and the aroma of forest lily of the valley, spices and gardenia flashes through.

In temperate climates, the crop is grown in room conditions as a decorative tree.

Interesting facts about the flower:

• in Nicaragua he is a symbol of the nation, his image is on banknotes;
• petals can withstand temperatures up to 500°C;
• is a sign of marital status in Polynesia - if a woman has it behind her right ear, then she is looking for a couple, if behind her left ear, then she already has a couple;
• in Indian culture it is a symbol of immortality - the tree is planted near temples and in cemeteries so that fallen flowers decorate the graves.

Many people know what lavender smells like - its aroma is often used in various perfume compositions. In nature, the culture is found in regions with warm climates, and in temperate climates it is grown as an indoor flower.

Lavender represents high lush bush(up to 1 m) with narrow leaves and inflorescences in the shape of a semi-umbrella or ear. The originality of the plant is given by the flowers of lilac-violet color with a strong spicy aroma and tart taste.

Interesting! Not only fresh flowers smell strongly, but also dried ones - moths, mosquitoes, and mosquitoes do not like their aroma.

Interesting Facts:

• the name of the plant comes from the Latin word “lava” (to wash) and, it turns out, in former times the flower was used for washing and washing;
• together with other spices, flowers and leaves are used to treat insomnia, migraines, they serve as raw materials for the production of lavender oil and culinary seasoning;
• dried flowers are added to smoldering sawdust and coal when smoking meat;
• Lavender honey has medicinal properties.

Alyssum is grown on garden plots, on balconies and terraces as an annual ornamental plant with a strong aroma. It can also be used in special plantings as a honey plant - the flowers emit a strong, delicate honey aroma, attracting bees.

The culture gained well-deserved popularity for decorative look a low bush and an original small spherical inflorescence.

Interesting Facts:

• White flowers smell stronger;
• Flowers of any type of alyssum become larger after pollination and attract insects to neighboring bushes just preparing to bloom.

How ornamental culture ylang-ylang (fragrant galanga) is of no interest to gardeners - it is an inconspicuous evergreen tree with “fading” flowers. The greenish-yellow or pale pink flowers really seem drooping and fading, but they smell so that their aroma cannot be confused with other odors - it is so strong and memorable.

The characteristic rich smell of flowers contains a whole bouquet of aromas - you can catch notes of jasmine, neroli, gardenia, and orchid.

The natural habitat of the crop is the warm regions of Southeast Asia and northern Australia.

Interesting Facts:

• An Indonesian wedding must have a garland of fresh ylang-ylang flowers;
• in religious and magical rites in the Philippines they use the aroma of dried flowers when burning them;
• Ylan-ylang is considered a strong aphrodisiac, and garlands of fresh flowers are placed at the head of newlyweds;
• the aromatic oil of the plant was used in the harems of the Middle East;
• in Victorian England, the flowers were used as hair pomade;
• Ylang-ylang began to be used as an aroma for alcohol perfumes in France and, what is important in perfumery, its aroma goes well with other perfume scents.

The plant owes its name “Tuberose” or “Polyanthes tuberiferous” to the structure of the root system (in Latin, the word “tuberosa” is derived from the word “tuber” - tuber) and has nothing to do with the rose.

Many peoples call the flower the “queen of aromas”, “king of aromas” - this is due to a distinctive feature of the culture imported from Mexico. Tuberose is valued for its beautiful snow-white flowers and for its sweet, delicate, many-hued aroma, incomparable to anything else. Some people consider it refined and sophisticated, but for others it seems cloying.

Interesting things about the flower:

• To produce 1 liter of tuberose oil, about 1000 kg of flowers are required;
• tuberose oil is one of the most expensive oils in perfumery - 1000 ml of oil costs about $12,000;
• the aroma gains maximum intensity at night;
• tuberose was the favorite flower of King Louis XIV of France;
• After cutting, flowers continue to accumulate aromatic substances.

The cultivation of matthiola (lewkoy), native to the Mediterranean and southern European regions, is haunted by a specific goal– aromatherapy of the area. During the day, other flowers are fragrant in the flower garden, and in the evening the main role goes to matthiol - closed in daytime the flowers open and emit a pleasant aroma, filling the entire space around them. That’s why they plant beautifully smelling flowers near gazebos, terraces, and along paths to fully enjoy the aroma on an evening walk.

Reference! Another name for the flower “night violet” conveys it distinctive feature– flowering at night.

Unusual facts about the flower:

• the aroma of the flower repels pests, so it is recommended to plant the flower next to potato plantings;
• in the Middle Ages, gillyflower was valued in the same way as roses and lilies, but later lost its position;
• alcohol tincture of matthiola leaves has antibacterial properties.

Gardenia jasmine has long been cultivated at home as a beautiful ornamental plant in the form of a low bush with dense green leaves and large white flowers. A native of Japan, China, and India, it has firmly established itself in temperate climates and is very popular among lovers of original indoor plants.

A distinctive feature of the culture is not only its decorative appearance, but also the breathtaking aroma of the flowers, which smell like a mixture of vanilla and cinnamon. The aroma of gardenia in the cold winter brings back memories of summer and romantic evenings.

Interesting facts about gardenia:

• many perfume brands, for example, Nina Ricci, Chanel Gardenia, Dior Miss Dior use the scent of gardenia jasmine;
• substances contained in plant phytoncides have a calming effect on humans and improve mood;
• the flower is used to attract the attention of the opposite sex (powder from dried flowers is rubbed into the skin before a meeting);
• fruits and roots are used in traditional medicine recipes.

Beautiful flowers with an unpleasant smell

The world of flowers, diverse and multifaceted, is most often associated with beautiful, pleasantly smelling flowers. But not everything is so simple in the world of plants - among flowering crops there are those that have appearance does not fit in with the fetid odor they emit.

A flower that smells so much that you want to leave and not hear this smell cannot look beautiful and original, but, nevertheless, it is so - beauty is combined with an unpleasant, impossible smell.

In appearance, the succulent plant with succulent and fleshy shoots resembles a cactus, and the flowers, covered with villi and spots, look like five-pointed star. Despite his external attractiveness, he is handsome bright flower smells like rotting flesh.

The heat-loving flower is native to South Africa and grows where the only pollinators are flies. This explains bad smell– flies are attracted only by such a specific “aroma”.

Attention! When growing slipway, you should be prepared for the fact that during flowering you will need to either put up with the smell, or move the flower pot away from the most visited places.

Lysichiton is a wetland plant and grows in one place for more than one year. The flower is so called because of the presence of a “veil” around the inflorescence, reminiscent of a calla lily. The cover gradually collapses as the fruit ripens. Unusual plant can be found in Alaska, in the Far Eastern regions, and in the western regions of the USA.

The popular name for Lysichiton is “swamp skunk.” This is due to the fact that the beautiful lemon-yellow or white flowers smell like fetid, stagnant swamp slurry. The smell is not associated with a beautiful delicate flower, but Nature designed it this way to attract pollinators.

Interesting things about Lysichiton:

• blooms very early - in April;
• the flower produces heat that can melt nearby snow - this allows the plant to survive in cold weather;
• Perfect for decorating ponds and low areas with stagnant water;
• in ancient times it was used as a plant with medicinal properties.

Nature has given man the opportunity to enjoy beauty in its various manifestations - very beautiful flowers with a wonderful, enchanting aroma and no less beautiful, but disgustingly smelling plants. But nonetheless, amazing world plants add beauty and positivity to our lives, sometimes forcing us to think about what - everyone has their own reason for this.

Japan loves flowers very much and is well versed in the nuances of their scents. There is even a game that is used to entertain guests: you need to blindfold yourself and guess by smell what flowers are in front of you.

Well, it is not so difficult for a person with a developed sense of smell to guess the name of a flower by smell. There is nothing to say about those who study aromatic substances; they have to deal with many odors. After all, there are visible and invisible fragrant substances, and each one has its own unique aroma.

But for a long time no one was able to guess what the properties of these substances are, what they consist of.

In ancient times, their study was only very superficial: what is the color and smell of essential oil, what happens to it when cooled and heated. Therefore, the most incredible judgments arose. It was believed, for example, that essential oils consist of two substances: one is material, the same for all oils, the other, which determines the smell, is something mysterious, elusive...

One way or another, it was once believed that every essential oil is homogeneous substance, contaminated with some impurities.

Over time, this opinion has been shaken. And then it was completely refuted. Of course, this happened after careful research. Now it's easy to confirm them. Science has found many ways to determine the composition of a mixture of substances.

It is possible, for example, to force the liquid under study to flow through a glass tube filled with the so-called active powder: silica, coal, sugar. Various substances will be more or less retained by the active powder, pass through a tube with at different speeds. The mixture of substances will be separated.

There is another way to “sniff out” the composition of an essential oil.

To do this, it must also be placed in the tube. Only very long - up to 120 meters. So it is better to first roll the tube into a spiral, especially since it must fit in a special device - a thermostat. There, the tube containing the essential oil will gradually warm up.

The substances that make up the oil evaporate in different ways: some easier, others more difficult. So they will be located in a certain order along the entire length of the tube. And they will come out of the tube in the same order, one after another. What kind of substances these are will be determined by special, precisely functioning equipment.

Through the work of many scientists it has been established that essential oils are combinations of many substances. However, even among them there are 1-2 main substances - “cores”, which determine the main smell of the oil. For example, the aroma of lemon is determined by citral, mint by menthol, lilac by terpineol, and rose by geraniol. But cloves and allspice have the same “core” - eugenol. That's why their aroma is similar.

Yes, both amber and musk contain substances “responsible” for the smell. In amber there is ambrein. Musk contains muskone, although there is only three tenths of a gram of it in musk deer gland.

Now the creators of fragrant compositions could, with their eyes closed, not only guess the name of a flower by smell, but also say what substances determine its aroma.

In my opinion, the estate and flower garden should serve not only to delight the eye with flowers and shrubs, feed with vegetables and fruits, and serve as a recreation area, but also to heal the soul.

Psychotherapists around the world have long agreed that smell heals. It is not for nothing that aroma therapy is so common and so widely used.
If this is used in everything and since ancient times, then why shouldn’t I borrow this method of treatment.
In addition, a person, being a spiritual being, striving for pleasure, rest, relaxation and joy, needs pleasant sensations and emotions, and smells play an important role here. I can't imagine a holiday without pleasant smell, and relaxing in a fragrant garden, even for a minute, just with a cup of coffee already adds minutes to life.

My husband is quite indifferent to flowers, however, sitting in a chair, on a terrace or patio, he demands to enjoy the smells of flowers. Flowers, in his opinion, should smell from a distance, you don’t need to bend over to them, you don’t need to bring them to your nose, they should bring pleasure from spring to late autumn, so I’m trying to create a fragrant flower garden.

Once, while looking at bags of seeds in a store, I witnessed a conversation between a saleswoman and a customer. The buyer asked the seller for bags of seeds of only those flowers that have a scent. And to my regret, the saleswoman could not help the customer. That’s when I started wondering whether so many flowers can create a fragrant flower garden, and whether so many of their seeds are sold in bags.

Mattiola - the smell of childhood

My husband's first demand was very simple: "Bring back the smell of childhood." As it turned out, his childhood was closely connected with the smell of matthiola, the two-horned left-handed plant. Mom sowed these unsightly flowers, and they smelled all summer. This continued from year to year, and it is this smell that is so reminiscent of a barefoot childhood spent in the village.
Since I don’t like these flowers at all, but their smell is still quite pleasant, I used a trick. In early spring my husband asked to show me the place where I sowed matthiola, moreover, he even began to point with his finger exactly where it should be done. I had to explain for a long time why this is so and not otherwise.

Mattiola needs bright light, otherwise it will stretch out and there will be neither flowers nor smell, so it is impossible to find a better companion for it than a rose.

I have miniature roses on my estate, which are very similar in color and height, and that’s where I placed the fragrant beauties.
The smell of matthiol is, of course, very pleasant. After a hot summer day, when the whole family gathers for evening gatherings, inhaling the aroma of matthiola is very pleasant.

Intoxicating Brugmansia

When I first met Brugmansia, I was fascinated, but when I inhaled the smell of this incomparable flower, I was simply hysterical, I so wanted to inhale it again and again that this flower will now never leave my estate.
Early in the morning Brugmansia does not smell yet, but when I return from work and go to backyard, the aroma is so strong that even neighbors come under the fence to inhale these delights. I have experienced that no matter how tired I am, inhaling the aroma of Brugmansia perfectly relieves fatigue and stimulates me to work.

Each variety of Brugmansia smells differently, sweet, intoxicating and soothing. I put these flowers in a bouquet at home, the smell only evokes... positive emotions, and the room is filled with a pleasant aroma. But when the bouquet is removed, the aroma quickly disappears.
If Brugmansia is grown from cuttings, it blooms only in the second half of summer, and you have to wait a long time for moments of pleasure.

Lilac

What would May be without the intoxicating scent of lilac? My lilac grows along the perimeter of the entire estate and thus, throughout the flowering period, no matter where we are, we enjoy its aroma.

It’s a pity that smells can’t be preserved, like tomatoes in a jar, but I remember the “White Lilac” perfume from childhood. Then they were the pinnacle of perfume art, but now they are just a pleasant and kind memory.

Chubushnik or popularly “jasmine”

What an intoxicating smell my wonderful bushes create. I try to inhale this aroma before sunrise, believing that it is at this time that angels fly over the bush.

The bushes grow at the entrance to the gate, huge, lush and blooming gorgeously from year to year.
I often notice passers-by who stop to admire and enjoy the wonderful aroma of these small white flowers.

Peony

One growing bush cannot create an aroma for the entire garden, but when there are many bushes, the aroma becomes rich, bright, thick. Unfortunately, last years Summer is coming so quickly, the heat very quickly kills the flowering, and we can enjoy this smell less and less.

My pink peonies smell, but the burgundy ones had no scent, but I removed them and bought those varieties that have a scent.

Gypsophila

These flowers are not loved by everyone, and are not very popular in our flower beds. But I, having grown these fluffy “clouds”, am simply delighted with their aroma. The bees are delighted with me. The aroma of these flowers is very heavy, thick and rich, it smells throughout the whole street. I have gypsophila, planted in the background, in order to smell the aroma there is absolutely no need to approach the bushes.

Rose

Of course the rose is the queen of flowers and the queen of scents. I try to plant only fragrant varieties:

Flamentanz

Smells like Bulgarian rose oil from the distant 70s. The bush is planted right next to the path, there is no need to bend over, and when the whole bush blooms, the aroma can be heard very far away.

"Aloha"

The bush is still very young, but I can imagine what a sensation it will make in its prime, if even now, walking past the blooming single flowers, you are immersed in a fragrant cloud.

There is another fragrant rose, the name of the variety I don’t know. But its lovely aroma simply does not let you go, you just want to inhale it again and again.

Marigold

These flowers are cute and unprepossessing, and do not release a scent until you touch them. I have them planted very close to the path, and touching your foot while walking you can easily enjoy the pleasant smell.

I smell everywhere. When choosing certain flowers or shrubs, I always put the smell first.

Inhaling the aroma of flowers, have we ever wondered why flowers smell? Let's try to answer this question. First of all, flowers, by spreading their scent, attract insects, which transport pollen from one flower to another during the process of reproduction. It is noticed that bright flowers, opening in the daytime, do not always have a strong aroma, because their color already attracts many insects. At the same time, flowers that open only at night have more strong odor so that moths and other insects can find them by the oils they secrete. In addition, not all plants have a pleasant smell; some of them also have a pungent odor that repels insects, which feast not only on nectar, but also directly on the flowers and leaves. Man noticed this feature of plants and began to use it for his own purposes. For example, the aroma of wormwood and mint repels mosquitoes, and lavender flowers protect clothes in the closet from moths.

During their life, plants produce oils from roots, leaves, flowers and fruits that have a complex chemical structure. Under certain conditions vegetable oils decompose and transform into volatile compounds, giving the flowers their scent. Each plant has its own smell, due to the presence of different chemical elements and their combination. For example, there is a flower with the smell of decaying meat. This smell attracts flies, whose larvae feed on rotting foods, so they can lay their eggs on such a plant. Essential oils are regulators of transpiration (evaporation of water by plants). In addition, essential oils, evaporating, surround the plant with an invisible cloud, protecting it from hypothermia at night, and from overheating during the day, since the air mixed with essential oil vapor is less permeable to heat rays.

The scent of flowers

Even in ancient times, they noticed that odors have different effects on the human body, namely on the central nervous system And emotional background. It has been noticed that vanillin reduces the rapid heartbeat and normalizes the temperature of human skin; the bitter smell of wormwood increases the strength of muscle contraction; the smell of camphor or musk stimulates brain activity. The aroma of jasmine enhances a person’s performance and gives peace of mind, the aroma of roses lifts the mood, driving away sad thoughts and improves mood, the aroma of violets gives strength and optimism. Such properties of plant odors began to be used in special health-improving technique– aromatherapy.

People began to use a large number of essential oils in perfumery, obtaining them by extraction from living plants. Ancient Egypt considered the birthplace of perfume. The Egyptians began making incense for temples and later for cosmetic purposes. The beauty of the human body Ancient Greece was elevated to a cult, the Greeks believed that the smell of flowers was a complementary element in overall harmony.