Vanilla
Vanilla planifolia
Vanilla is a climbing orchid with thick green stems and fleshy leaves that produces the pods used for vanilla flavouring. Each flower opens for just one day and must be hand-pollinated outside its native range.
Photo: Malcolm Manners from Lakeland FL, USA · CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Partial sun, Bright indirect light
Watering
Moderate
Keep the mix moist but airy; mist aerial roots in dry weather.
Soil
Loose mix of bark, leaf mould and compost; pH 6.0–7.0.
Temperature and humidity
15–32 °C · High humidity
Feeding
Feed every two weeks with a diluted orchid fertilizer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by stem cuttings
Loop long vines down and back up the support to encourage flowering.
Not toxic; the sap can irritate sensitive skin.
Top Cultivation Tips
Give a moss pole or tree to climb.
Plants flower only after reaching 3 m or more.
Hand-pollinate each flower the morning it opens.
Pods must be cured for weeks to develop flavour.
Common problems
Root rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →PestScale insects
Immobile, shell-covered insects that cling to stems and leaves, draining sap and weakening trees and houseplants.
How to treat it →PestSnails and slugs
Night-feeding molluscs that chew ragged holes in leaves, seedlings and soft stems, especially in wet weather.
How to treat it →
