11 Flowers that Smell like Vanilla

If the scent of vanilla is your favorite and you’re looking for Flowers That Smell like Vanilla, this list will interest you for sure!

If you are fond of vanilla fragrance, you’ll be happy to know that many flowers smell like vanilla! So, no need to go with a vanilla plant, when you have so many options to choose from!

1. Sweet Autumn Clematis

Botanical Name: Clematis terniflora

USDA Zones: 5-11

When talking about vanilla fragrance, the sweet autumn clematis takes the crown! Its bright white flowers emit a strong vanilla-like fragrance that you can smell from yards away! It flowers during summer and fall.

2. Ponderosa Pine

Botanical Name: Pinus ponderosa

USDA Zones: 3-7

The ponderosa pine tree has a mix of vanilla and butterscotch fragrance, really pronounced at its bark. Its pyramidical shape makes it perfect for growing in the corner of your yard, filling your garden with its heavenly mix of fragrance!

3. Ground Clematis

Botanical Name: Clematis recta

USDA Zones: 4-10

Ground Clematis has a cluster of white, star-shaped, scented flowers, having a strong and unmistakable fragrance, similar to vanilla. You can easily plant them in pots, and they can also be trained to climb. What’s more, this plant also attracts bees and butterflies!

4. Boxleaf Azara

Botanical Name: Azara microphylla

USDA Zones: 8-10

What separates Boxleaf Azara from the rest in a good way, are its flowers. They have no petals but come in clusters, held together in the leaf axils, giving it a very distinctive look. They have a strong vanilla scent with hints of chocolate and marzipan.

5. Joe Pye Weed

Botanical Name: Eutrochium purpureum

USDA Zones: 2-9

Joe Pye Weed has beautiful purple flowers that appear in terminal clusters. If you want to have a strong whiff of its vanilla fragrance, crushing the flowers does the trick! Thanks to its sweet nectar, it’ll also attract bees to your garden!

6. Arabian Jasmine

Botanical Name: Jasminum sambac

USDA Zones: 9-11

Thanks to its exotic, orchid-like intoxicating fragrance; the Arabian jasmine is rewarded as one of the most fragrant flowers! Its flowers ooze a strong, vanilla licorice scent that gets intense in the night time. 

7. Cherry Pie

Botanical Name: Heliotropium

USDA Zones: 6-11

Cherry pie has a mixed smell of vanilla and berries in its fragrance, making it quite remarkable! It has attractive star-shaped flowers, in bright, purple colors. Grow it in your yard, if you are looking forward to having an exotic smelling garden bed!

8. Vanilla Orchids

Botanical Name: Vanilla planifolia

USDA Zones: 10-11

Also known as the ‘Vanilla Bean,’ vanilla orchids have a pleasant fragrance of vanilla. They are also widely used in perfumes and flavoring. Producing beautiful, green-yellow, or pale-colored flowers, they’re perfect as indoor plants as well!

9. White Forsythia

Botanical Name: Abeliophyllum distichum

USDA Zones: 4-8

White forsythia carries a mild vanilla fragrance, with hints of almonds. It has bright, yellow flowers, that can fill up the atmosphere with its strong whiff of vanilla fragrance in no time! If you ever wanted a fragrant plant in your garden, grow this!

10. Mignonette

Botanical Name: Reseda odorata

USDA Zones: 2-11

With a mix of vanilla and raspberry fragrance, its flowers have a pleasing fragrance. It comes in the shades of white, yellow, orange, and green, with slender spikes. Its fragrant compounds are also widely used in perfumery.

11. Four o’clock

Botanical Name: Mirabilis jalapa

USDA Zones: 9-11

With beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers that appear in a variety of colors, four o’clock is perfect for patio and balcony gardeners. The flowers opens in the evening and have a strong, spicy scent with a hint of vanilla.