Edible : Pods, Fruit, Seeds, Herb, Spice,
A climbing orchid. The vine is fleshy and climbs by means of roots. It can climb to 10-15 m high. It is 1-2 cm across and flexible but easily broken. There are 5-15 cm between nodes. It is often trained to a lower height to allow easier pollination and harvesting. Aerial roots arise from the stem opposite the leaves. These are white and 2 mm across. They attach to supports. It has long pointed fleshy leaves. They have almost no stalk and can be 8-25 cm long by 2-8 cm wide. The tip of the leaf is pointed and the base is rounded. The flowers are greenish yellow and large and waxy. They occur in groups of up to 30 in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a long fleshy pod with small black seeds inside.
A tropical plant. It needs a warm moist climate. The best temperature is between 21-32°C with an average around 27°C. It will grow up to at least 1,000 m altitude. It does best with an evenly distributed rainfall of 2,000-5,000 mm per year. Ideally it should have 2 drier months to allow the flowers to develop. Light shade is necessary. It needs a well drained location and lots of humus and organic matter to grow in. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.
Common names : Vanilla, Hpyaw-ye-thitkwa, Vainella, Vainilla, Vaniglia,
Synonyms :
Vanilla fragrans (Salisb.) Ames;