What is vanilla orchid?

Vanilla Orchid is a common name that refers to the vines in the family vanilla belonging to orchidaceae or orchids, family. These plants are rooted in the ground, but the trunks of trees, poles or other means of vertical support can also rise. After maturity, vines can reach a length of 115 feet (35 m) or more. There are at least 100 species of these plants, which usually occur in tropical and subtropical areas in America, Africa and Southeast Asia. They are also grown in the western Pacific islands. These fruits, which measure 4 to 10 inches (10 to 25 cm), contain small seeds that ripen eight to nine months after flowering. Identifying the characteristics of these plants are roots that hatch on the stem. Aviation roots are mixed and smooth, while those who contact the surface have a strong and hairy look. Vanilla orchid plants have green leaves that are short, strong and leather.

white, green or cream flowers of vanilla orchids usually grow upside down. These large and striking flowers are ephemeral, which means they are short -term. In the morning they open and close in the afternoon. If there is no pollination when the flowers are open, they are playing the next day. Bees and hummingbirds are performed in the wild, while commercially grown species must be manually pollinated.

Due to the high content of vanillin, the type v. It is believed that planifolia has the highest commercial value among the cultivated vanilla orchid plants. Vanillin, originating in the extract of its seed, is a source of vanilla flavors that are widely used in the preparation of food and perfumes. Vanilla plants report healing use, such as cure for fever and as an aphrodisiac, although these claims have not been scientifically proven.

v. Pompon and v. Tahitiensis are other types of vanilla orchids commercially grown for extractionVanilina. Their content of vanillin is less than the content of v. Planovia . Other types of interest are v. Dilloniana , v. Mexicana and v. All species in this genus are a source of food for adhesidoptera, which contains thousands of moths and butterflies.