Is this the plant where we can get vanilla bean from? Or is this just for the orchid flower?

I would love to have a cutting if it's not already gone!

No more vanilla orchids.

pepperseed where are you located?

email me i can send you vanilla orchid if you mail me the $6 shipping.

Kristi,
YEp. This is the source of the vanilla bean. Flower is supposed to be nice but only lasts a day. I have a nice sized one but it isnt easy for us indoor growers to get any blooms.
Andrew

Any tips on growing these? I have a little cutting that does not seem to be doing well at all. I want to grow it up into one of my larger mangoes trees, but so far this thing looks sickly and half dead. It looked great when I bought it so I am obviously doing something wrong.

Anyone get vanilla beans from the plant? It's just interesting since I always thought vanilla beans come from huge trees...lol

i just put mine in a shaded corner in sphagnum and it has been growing happily.

Bryan,

Did you get any vanilla beans out of your plant? Did you receive my email?

Vanilla orchid will grow on just about anything or in anything. I have seen them potted up with a course soil and I have seen them growing right up the side of a wall. Mine are draped over some tier benches where I keep the remnant of my orchid collection and they have grown up the side of the wall of a wooden building I have in the corner of my yard. Some of the vine is on the ground growing under the benches. With vanilla, as with most orchids, controlled neglect seems to be the best attitude to allow it to achieve optimum growth.

Harry

yep i got your e-mail, i didnt get any vanilla beans yet,

Kristi,
It is not easy to get a bloom for indoor growers. The vine has to achieve mamoth proportions and needs to have some form of support. Once it gets to blooming size it oftem will grow downwards and bloom. Each bloom will last one day and you have to pollinate by hand at a specific time that the orchid flower will recieve the pollin. If your succesfull, a bean will begin to grow which can take 8-9, months to mature. I got all this info from a demonstartion at the Botanical gardens in Buffalo. This was directed to indoor growers so it may varyfor outdoor growers. Even after you get a pod, you still have to cure the bean to get usable vanilla. Has anyone here been able to grow there own beans and if yes, dod you have any pictures? Mine is still small but about 4 ft tall now. What Harry says about neglect is true. I do that with mine and I can see how this vine could take over. I guess I still hope that someday it will bloom. I don't have much hope that I will get a bean but who knows!
Andrew