[scentman]

Hello All! Greetings from Georgia, USA!

First a little background FWIW... I am a perfumer by trade, and thus when I travel I tend to sniff all sorts of plants, foods, and flowers wherever I am.

I was recently on vacation/holiday in southwest Ireland (Killarney, Dingle, Tralee) while I was there, I came across a tree/shrub that I liked the aroma of, but I have no idea what it is called. I have tried googling from my limited knowledge, but to no avail. Can anyone here help me to identify it?

The plant has shiny leaves, kind of like a holly, but without the spines on the edge. The plant was in bloom the first week of July this year (the wild fushia was also in bloom the same week) it has smallish 1-2" (about 2-5 cm) spikes of pinkish-red flowers that are quite fragrant. The fragrance reminds me of raspberries and heliotrope/play-doh. It was growing by the stone circle in Kenmare, and was also on the grounds of the Gallarus Oratory in Dingle. The specimin in Kenmare was only about 4' high (approx 1 m), while the one in Dingle was about 15' (approx 3m) high in a oval kind of shape.

Thanks in Advance

[GPI]

Hello Scentman.
It would be great to have your perfumery insight into plants that grow on this green isle.
How does Ireland compare to the US for scented plants.

I believe the plant is a shrub called Escallonia, possibly the variety macranta or X langleyensis.

"The plant has shiny leaves, kind of like a holly, but without the spines on the edge" CHECK

"The plant was in bloom the first week of July this year (the wild fushia was also in bloom the same week)" CHECK

"It has smallish 1-2" (about 2-5 cm) spikes of pinkish-red flowers that are quite fragrant." Not sure about spikes, more clusters really.

"The specimin in Kenmare was only about 4' high (approx 1 m), while the one in Dingle was about 15' (approx 3m) high in a oval kind of shape" CHECK

Here are some pics of Escallonia, scentman.



Cultivation requirements.

Plant in well-drained soil in full sun.
Suggested uses: Beds and borders, Coastal, Cottage/Informal, Hedging/Screens, Low Maintenance
Soil types: Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage: Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH: Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light: Full Sun
Aspect: North, South, East, West
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness: zones 8 to 10

Hope this helps.

[scentman]

[GPI]

No problem, Scentman.
You are right, gorse or Ulex europeus fills the air with its sweet almond-like scent in spring, although it seems to flower on and off right throughout the year.

I did some research on that vine "Kudzu", wow what an animal.
Its seems goats are being drafted in to keep it in check as can be seen from the pic below (they are sheltering from the harsh sun under the tent).

[Chris_IE]

Here's one from my store of mostly useless but sometimes interesting trivia. Apparently there is a genetic link as to how people perceive the smell of gorse--some smell coconut and others almond/vanilla. Pretty weird.

[Bugs]

[scentman]

[birdie]

Wow scentman you certainly know your smells. For me I always smell almond from furze flowers.