Description

Vanilla planifolia

Vanilla planifolia information and history could take up many pages! It is the primary species grown commercially for vanilla beans; the others being Vanilla tahitensis and Vanilla pompona. The beans are used for flavoring, as perfume and even in medicine. It has many synonyms and can still be found Vanilla fragrans. Native to the West Indies, it’s a warm-to-hot growing vine. We’ve not seen damage on our big plant which grow in the brightest and warmest spot in our greenhouse. The caveat being that it resents having its roots get too warm. Growing Vanilla in Montana is not as easy as in warmer parts of the country (or world), but we’ve found that once a cuttung develops a good root system, the plants begin to grow well. Notice the change in the root as it enters the potting media; its smooth roots get larger in diameter and are fuzzy (much like a Paphiopedilum root). Note: this is a Vanilla root that worked its way into a potted Neofinetia. The flowers are borne in clusters and open one at a time; each lasting just a day. Though it takes a somewhat large plant to bloom and eventually produce beans…the plant itself is very attractive.

We are selling well-rooted cuttings in tall 2″ pots.