When you want to inhale the scent of a lily, do you plunge your nose into the center? You might think the scent comes from somewhere near the pistils or anthers or stamens and dive in only to get a nose full of pollen. Don’t bother risking the orange nose because a lily’s scent actually comes from the tips of the petals. I had no idea until I saw that little tidbit on a bulb seller’s Facebook page recently.
I’d never given any thought as to how a flower becomes fragrant. After learning about lilies, I did a little research. Flowers contain essential oils (volatile compounds) in their petals that evaporate in warm weather to cause a scent that attracts pollinators (and me and you). That would explain why lilies and roses can be especially fragrant on warm, humid days.
As someone who has been a victim of “pollen nose” in the past, I’m going to be keeping my sniffer near the petals from now on.