| Vanilla planifolia | |||||||||||||||||
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Vanilla planifolia is a species of the genus Vanilla.
Description[]
Plant blooms at any season with up to twenty 6 cm wide flowers. Flowers are fragrant.
Flowers last only a day, and must be pollinated manually, during the morning, if fruit is desired. The plants are self-fertile, and pollination simply requires a transfer of the pollen from the anther to the stigma. If pollination does not occur, the flower is dropped the next day. In the wild, there is less than 1% chance that the flowers will be pollinated, so in order to receive a steady flow of fruit, the flowers must be hand-pollinated when grown on farms. Hand pollinators can pollinate about 1,000 flowers per day.
Fruit is produced only on mature plants, which are generally over 3 m (10 ft) long. The fruits are 15-23 cm (6-9 in) long pods (often incorrectly called beans). They mature after about five months, at which point they are harvested and cured. Curing ferments and dries the pods while minimizing the loss of essential oils. Vanilla extract is obtained from this portion of the plant.
Like all members of the Vanilla genus, Vanilla planifolia is a vine. It uses its fleshy roots to support itself as it grows.
Vanilla planifolia is one of the primary sources for vanilla flavouring, due to its high vanillin content. It is harvested mostly in Mexico and Madagascar.
Distribution[]
Plants are found in Florida United States, the West Indies, Central America and Northern South America.
Vanilla production thrives in specific locations and conditions 25° north or south of the equator, requiring a series of agroecological conditions that must be met to be commercially viable
Culture[]
Keep plant in intermediate to warm temperatures in shade. Plant is grown in shade and require a lots of space for climbing. Plant can be mounted or grown in bark. Plant prefers dryouts between waterings.
Naming[]
Common Names:Commercial Vanilla, The Flat Plane Leafed Vanilla
Synonyms[]
- Myrobroma fragrans Salisb. 1807
- Notylia planifolia (Jacks. ex Andrews) Conz. 1947
- Notylia sativa (Schiede) Conz. 1947
- Notylia sylvestris (Schiede) Conz. 1947
- Vanilla duckei Huber 1909
- Vanilla fragrans (Salisb.) Ames 1924
- Vanilla hirsuta M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones 1996
- Vanilla sativa Schiede 1829
- Vanilla sylvestris Schiede 1829
- Vanilla tahitensis J.W.Moore 1933
- Vanilla tiarei Costantin & Bois 1915
- Vanilla viridiflora Bl. 1825