Vanilla Orchid

Vanilla Orchid (Vanilla planifolia) is the vine every vanilla pod in the world comes from, and it is far easier to keep alive than its reputation suggests. It is a climbing orchid with thick succulent leaves on a fleshy green stem, running to about 3m on a support in a pot, on a slim 1m footprint. Grow it for the foliage, and treat any pods as a bonus.

Why you'll love it

• It is the real thing. This is the species grown commercially for vanilla, not a lookalike, and the pods it can produce are the genuine article.
• A climber with substance. Thick waxy leaves on a green rope of a stem give it a presence most indoor climbers lack.
• You control the size. Length depends entirely on the support: a 1.8m pole in a pot, or several metres along a shaded pergola.
• Fragrant flowers, and heat is no problem. Cream and green blooms appear on mature vines, and a steamy subtropical summer is exactly what it wants.

Where it works best

Pots with a support. The standard approach anywhere in Australia. Use a 300mm pot with an orchid or coarse bark mix and a moss pole for the aerial roots to grip.

Indoors. A bright bathroom or a warm room with filtered light suits it, since indoor warmth and humidity match its needs.

Feature planting in the tropics. In tropical and subtropical gardens plant it at the base of a rough barked tree or a shade house post and let it climb.

Growing vanilla orchid in Australia

Position and climate. Bright filtered light, never direct sun, which scorches the leaves. Warmth is the requirement: it is frost tender and wants nights above about 15 degrees, so outdoors it belongs in tropical and subtropical gardens only. Elsewhere grow it indoors or in a heated glasshouse.

Soil. It is not a soil plant. Use a very open orchid mix of coarse bark, perlite and a little coir. The roots need air as much as moisture, and a dense potting mix will rot them.

Water and feed. Water when the top of the mix is dry, roughly weekly in warm weather and less in winter. Mist the aerial roots or keep humidity high. Feed a half strength orchid fertiliser every second or third watering through spring and summer.

Pruning. Trim the growing tip once it reaches the top of its support to force side shoots. Pieces about 30cm long with a few nodes root readily in bark mix.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is sold as tube stock. Each plant is a young rooted cutting, a short length of stem with a few leaves and the beginnings of aerial roots, and it needs potting up into a 200mm to 300mm pot with a support. It is not an instant plant.

Vines travel well because the stems and leaves hold their own moisture, though a bent stem in transit does not set the plant back. Give it a fortnight in a warm humid spot, then expect new growth within a month. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• A practical guide to orchid care and maintenance
• Browse the full climber range
• Indoor plants that share the same light and humidity
• Other edible plants worth growing at home

Common questions

Will I really get vanilla pods?

Possibly, with patience. The vine must be several years old and three metres or more long before it flowers, each flower opens for one day, and there is no natural pollinator here, so flowers must be hand pollinated. Pods take around nine months to mature.

Can I grow it outside in Sydney or Perth?

Not reliably. It is frost tender and suited to tropical and subtropical climates outdoors. In warm temperate and cooler cities keep it indoors or in a heated glasshouse.

Is it safe around pets?

Treat it with caution. The sap contains calcium oxalate crystals that irritate skin and the mouth, so keep it away from pets and children who chew on plants.