Vanilla plants produce fragrant and flavorful beans.
Vanilla planifolia, commonly referred to as a vanilla plant, grows natively in tropical climates. This plant is a type of orchid and displays attractive, scented blossoms like other members of the orchid family. With more than 150 varieties, vanilla plants display a range of interesting characteristics.
Characteristics
Vanilla is a vine, sending out long tendrils that wrap upward along supports. The vines produce thick evergreen leaves that measure about 6 to 9 inches in length. This plant's ability to produce aerial roots allows it to reproduce new plant segments along tree trunks and other suitable supports. The vines form clusters of flowers that resemble small trumpets. These blossoms may appear in shades of green, yellow and cream.
Size
In its natural habitat, vanilla plants can vine upward as high as 50 to 75 feet. The vines often crawl high up surrounding trees in search of sunlight. Commercial growers often bend the tall vines downward to provide easy access for pruning and harvesting, as well as to encourage additional blossoming.
Uses
While vanilla plants may enhance a tropical landscape or indoor flowerpot, these vines also produce the beans that supply vanilla extract for flavorings and scents. Of the more than 150 varieties of vanilla plants, commercial growers only use two species for flavor and fragrance. The blossoms that often last less than a single day form the bean pods that contain the vanilla seeds. Curing the beans helps to lock in the aroma and reduce the chances of rotting.
Tags: more than, more than varieties, supports vines, than varieties, than varieties vanilla, This plant
