Why is it that the most attractive flowers have no scent?

Question

Why is it that the most attractive flowers have no scent?

Answer 1

In wild flowers, the shape, colour, scent etc. are natures way of attracting pollination by birds, insects or whatever.

Modern garden flowers, however, are often the products of man's intervention with nature, by selective breeding. The flower may be be bigger or better colour than it's parents but often scent is lost in the process.

It's like everything we tamper with in nature, we always upset the balance somwhere !

Answer 2

It could be one of two things in my mind

- 1. The flower was bred that way. Quite a few atttractive flowers have the scent bred out of them.

2- the attractive colour and the scent is to draw bees to them, for the polleantion thing. Maybe because its so attractive, it doesnt need a smell as well?

Answer 3

Well, this would depend on your idea of beauty and how you behold it.

How you perceive your world is also how you perceive yourself and how your perceive your life.

Happy self-examination.

Answer 4

i guess in the wild bees and other pollinatiors can see the nicer flowers more quickly so it doesnt need a scent, but the not as nice flowers need a scent becuase the bees and butterflies may not of seen them

Answer 5

Because I go for the best looking plants to grow in my garden...I don't grow roses as I know little about them. But where I live the wind damages everything...from the plants to the vegtables that I grow..

Answer 6

Cause they're too pretty ☼

Answer 7

If it was purely bred for looks then the breeder has forfeited it's scent.

There are many beautiful flowers that smell just as beautiful. You only have to sit in a flower garden on a sunny day to see this is true.

Answer 8

IMO that's like asking "why is it that the most attractive women have no personality?". (Neither statement is always true, but.... often)

To which I'd say 'Because they don't have to' - Good looks do the work for them, re: Bees/men

a

Answer 9

The only ones that appeal to me are the fake ones as I get hayfever at this time of year.

Answer 10

Often I think the growers have gone for looks rather than scent particularly if they are after an unusual look ie blue roses.

However many attractive scented plants are available - lillies, scented roses, honeysuckle and jasmine etc

The link below will help you find what plants are available.

Answer 11

Well they do .but they are often "forced"

There is a lesson to be learnt there,over people who are not always what they seem, too.

Answer 12

Yes I know, strange that.

Answer 13

when a flower is bred for looks, there's usually something that has to be given up in order for it to work.... sometimes it's disease succeptibilty, sometimes it is size, sometimes number of petals, sometimes scent.... and for 'show off' flowers, scent is usually easy to do without.... so it's often the one that is excluded first..... then too, flowers that are highly colored are attractive to the pollenators just fine without scent... and some have other ways of attracting those busy bees that don't include scent OR color!!...

conversely, when bred for scent, not as much has to be given up.... .... hmmmmm???.....

here's some of the best scented roses I've found...read near the bottom from Chrysler Imperial... to the end!...

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/publication...

i have several of those mentioned.... the sad part is, the more beautiful the scent, the less likely the plant can hold out against blackspot!!... drat!...

there's one flower that's really not that attractive, but that has a scent that's heavenly.... and a fave here... Heliotrope!... and Daphne's little... and Sweet Olive is TINY... but just imagine if they were as big as some roses!!!... we couldnt BREATHE!!!... so maybe it's best the way it is!.... *smile*......