Character
The Story of Sharry Baby Orchid
A beloved orchid hybrid that smells of dark chocolate, warm vanilla, and ripe raspberries. Oncidium Sharry Baby 'Sweet Fragrance' produces one of the most coveted floral scents in perfumery, capturing the essence of a chocolate shop in full bloom.
Heritage
Orchid breeder H.S. Sharry created this hybrid in 1983 by crossing Oncidium Jamie Sutton with Oncidium Honolulu, two orchids prized for their floriferous nature and ease of cultivation. The goal was simple but ambitious: combine vigorous growth with an intoxicating, long-lasting fragrance. The 'Sweet Fragrance' clone, awarded by the American Orchid Society, achieved that vision and became an instant sensation when it reached the market in the late 1980s. Demand exploded from 10,000 to 50,000 plants within months, a testament to how powerfully the chocolate-vanilla aroma resonated with fragrance lovers. The hybrid has since earned eight AOS awards across multiple cultivars including 'Tricolor' and 'Ruby Doll.' Today, Sharry Baby remains the benchmark against which other fragrant Oncidium hybrids are measured, a remarkable legacy for a plant barely four decades old.
At a Glance
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United States (Hawaii)
Primary source region
Ingredient Details
Headspace technology
Whole flowers, primarily the labellum
Did You Know
"The 'Sweet Fragrance' clone was so popular upon its 1980s release that orders jumped from 10,000 to 50,000 in mere months."