Description
Vanilla –
Genus of about 100 climbing, monopodial, terrestrial orchids growing on trees and shrubs from warm moist forest in the tropics and subtropics including Mexico where their known to reach 120’ feet tall. They have thick, adventitious roots that attach to the tree, opposite of the root they develop, ovate to oblong fleshy leaves. Bears racemes or panicles of few to many, very fragrant, hermaphrodite flowers, that need to pollinated by hand or by a bee to obtain the large seed capsules. Flowers usually last a day. V. planifolia is cultivated commercially for vanilla flavoring. Madagascar is the world’s largest producer of vanilla extract.
Intermediate to warm growing orchids (see chart below). Grow in containers of terrestrial orchid potting mix with bark and added organic mix. In summer, provide moist, shady conditions, water freely, feed at every third watering, and mist twice daily. In winter water freely.
Prone to aphids, scale insects and spider mites.
