Orchidaceae FAMILY

Vanilla planifolia

Edibility

4/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

Calcium oxalate crystals are present in the plant, which may cause dermatitis in vanilla workers[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].

Botanical Description

Vanilla planifolia is a succulent-stemmed, perennial climbing plant, producing a stem that can be 5 - 15 metres or more long. The plant grows into trees, supporting itself by means of aerial roots that are produced from the stem nodes. It is often epiphytic, or becomes epiphytic as the lower portion of the stem withers and dies. Vanilla is one of the world's most important spices[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. ]. It is widely cultivated throughout the tropics, mainly on the islands of Madagascar, Reunion, Tahitii, Java and the Seychelles, for its edible seed pod, which is much used as a sweet, aromatic flavouring in ice cream and a wide range of sweet dishes[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Bolivia, Colombia; Central America - Costa Rica to Mexico; naturalized in many other areas of Tropical America.

HabitatAn epiphytic plant, it grows wild in trees, producing aerial roots that penetrate fissures and cracks in the bark[ 296 Title Tropical Food Gardens Publication Author Norrington. L. Publisher Bloomings Books (Melbourne) Year 2001 ISBN 1-876473-41-x Description Excellent little book giving some basic information on a range of plants. ]. Usually found climbing on trees in warm, wet tropical low land forests at elevations from sea-level to 600 metres[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ].