Smelliest bulbs

totototo@telus.net totototo@telus.net
Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:01:14 PDT
On 27 Aug 2010, at 13:50, Boyce Tankersley wrote:

> Fritillaria imperialis bulbs. Purchased at the local bulb sale on a
> Friday and forgotten in the trunk of my wife's car over a very warm
> weekend. 
> 
> Memorable experience, but not to be repeated.

I'm with Janos Agoston: I like the smell of Frit. imp. But then I guess I'm 
weird: I always liked the occasional whiffs of skunk you get when out driving 
in the East. (No skunks here.)

Jim Waddick in another reply in this thread mentions paperwhite narcissus as 
one of the stinkers. They're an example of a scent that when very faint is 
quite pleasant, but intolerable if strong. Another such scent is that of 
skatole, the compound that gives feces its characteristic odor. In very low 
concentrations it has a floral quality - and is, in fact (or at least according 
to Wikipedia), used in perfumery.


-- 
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada


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