General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Vine
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Partial Shade to Full Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 10a -1.1 °C (30 °F) to +1.7 °C (35 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Plant Height: 25' - 100' in situ, grown as houseplant can attain heights of 6' - 8'
Leaves: Evergreen
Fruit: Showy
Other: 8 to 10 inch long fragrant, slender, fleshy green pods, maturing to brown and containing thousands of tiny, microscopic seeds.
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Flower Color: Green
Other: Yellowish-green
Bloom Size: 2"-3"
Flower Time: Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Uses: Culinary Herb
Toxicity: Other: Sap from cut stems may cause moderate to severe contact dermatitis in some individuals.
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Pollinators: Bees
Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: Epiphytic

Image
Common names
  • Vanilla Orchid
  • Orchid
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Vanilla planifolia
  • Synonym: Vanilla schwackeana

Photo Gallery
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: Tampa FL
Date: spring
Location: Na Pali Coast, Kauai
Date: 2015-11-16
Pods ripening
Location: Southeast Florida
Date: March 2012
A mature specimen with flowers
Location: New York Botanical Gardens Bronx NY
Date: April 2014
Location: McKee Botanical Garden, Vero Beach, Florida
Date: 2016-11-06
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: April 2016

Date: c. 1929
illustration by Mary E. Eaton from 'Addisonia', 1929
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04
very large leaves on this clone ???? ??? ?
Location: NYBG 
Date: June 14 22
Location: McKee Botanical Garden, Vero Beach, Florida
Date: 2016-11-06
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: April 2016

photo credit: H. Zell
Location: Homestead, FL
Date: 2012-01
RF Orchids nursery - about 7 years of growth from starter plant
Location: Homestead, FL
Date: 2012-01
RF Orchids nursery
Uploaded by drdawg
Uploaded by drdawg

Date: 2012-11-16
Location: Naples  florida
Date: 2016-03-30
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2017-12-05
Location: Trento, Italy
Date: c. 1910
photo from 'Orchis', 1910
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: April 2016
unusual to see a strand hanging free like this
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: April 2016
another view of a strand of this orchid in bloom hanging free
Location: Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington WV
Date: 2017-09-16
Location: Tampa FL
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2017-12-05
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2017-12-05
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2017-12-05
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2017-12-05

photo credit: H. Zell

photo credit: B. Navez

photo credit: Forest & Kim Starr

photo credit: Malcolm Manners

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