Vanilla cutting new growth, HELP

[let_it_grow]

Originally Posted by Helen

Where do you live? I'm in a cold winter zone in Ontario Canada. Just wondering seeing you said you brought it in for the winter.
thanks

Helen I am also in Ontario, where did you get yours? I have been looking to get some vanilla climbing in my place

[Helen]

Originally Posted by let_it_grow

Helen I am also in Ontario, where did you get yours? I have been looking to get some vanilla climbing in my place

Hi Let it Grow...I'm SO SORRY! I did not see your last post (never got an email on this thread for some reason).
Anyway, I got it at the RBG, from our Orchid Society.
Where in Ontario are you? I may be able to get you one if you are still interested.
Helen

[kinknstein]

You may also want to take a look at Paramount Orchids. They are my supplier of choice and last I checked they actually had more than one species of Vanilla available. Excellent Grower, and incredible knowledge at Paramount.

[let_it_grow]

I am very interested. I'm in Peterborough... the void of all things orchid...

[RosieC]

Can I ask a (maybe stupid) question here.

When you guys have talked about Vanillia Orchids before I have assumed it was an orchid which had pods which looked like vanillia, and that this was how it gots it's name.

But my Husband found something in a 'fun facts' book which said that Vanillia is related to the orchids.

So when you guys are growing Vanillia Orchids, is this the same thing as the Vanillia which is used in food, or is it just an Orchid which looks like Vanillia?

[10010100102]

Hi Rosie, I'm pretty sure the vanilla we eat actually does come from an orchid. I don't know which species it comes from, or even if it comes from more than one species, but I do know that there is a genus named Vanilla.

[Bill_NeOh]

It is the same plant that comercial vanillia is harvested from. But they have to get pretty big before the start blooming. Mine is about 14 feet long and has never bloomed yet. I'm not really growing it to bloom since they flowers only last 24 hours. I just like the vine really but would like to see it bloom someday.

[RosieC]

Thanks Bill. I've seen pictures on OB of the pods, and I had thought they were just named Vanillia because they looked like it. Great to know that Vanillia is an orchid.

[cb977]

There are a few different species of Vanilla (an orchid)...they grow to be very large vines and the blooms last a very short amount of time. The blooms need to be hand-pollinated and then there is a specific process on getting the seed pod to develop into the vanilla used for flavoring. I've had mine bloom a few times and right now it has 4 buds growing. I'm going to try pollinating it again because I didn't have any success in doing it last time around

Here's a picture of my Vanilla pompona in bloom from last year:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...a-pompona.html

[RosieC]

Good luck Sue.

It sounds like it's very difficult to get the pods. How do the comercial growers do it? No wonder vanillia pods are so expensive in this country.