Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia)
NATIVE RANGE:
Mexico & Central America
DESCRIPTION:
A climbing vine that prefers hot, humid tropical forests. It can reach up to 10 feet tall (3 meters), often supporting itself by growing up tree trunks. The flowers are greenish-yellow orchids and the leaves are simple, flat and bigger than the flowers. The fruits, known as vanilla beans, develop from the flower and grows to between 6 and 9 inches long.
PRODUCTION:
Vanilla is the most commonly used flavoring in the world, and also the second most expense one next to saffron. While the plant is native to Mexico and Central America, the vast majority of commercial production happens in Madagascar and Indonesia.
Vanilla is a labor intensive crop- which is why it demands such a high price and why there is an abundance of artificial vanilla. In the wild, vanilla orchids only have a 1% chance of fertilization, so in cultivation each flower must be fertilized by hand. This is a time-sensitive operation. If the flower is to produce fruit (the vanilla bean) then fertilization must occur within 12 hours of the flower opening.
