

If you’re lucky enough to have access to a Tahitian vanilla plant, you can even make the extract yourself. The extract can be used in sugar or rum and added to hundreds of recipes. Tahitian vanilla extract is a favorite among chefs across the world. The vanilla beans are usually staked in a greenhouse or outdoors to gain better control over humidity. Rather uniquely, these flowers last for only a few hours, making each one an incredibly precious source. Tahitian vanilla flowers often have a hint of pale yellow, and one vanilla bean flower produced only one fruit. The Tahitian bean flowers appear in clusters on the vine, and unlike Mexican or Madagascan vanilla, they’re mostly white. Tahitian vanilla, also called vanilla tahitensis, is a type of orchid from the vanilla genus. West Indian vanilla usually grows in forests in Central America and Mexico, and it grows on trees to receive an adequate amount of sunlight. Once they’ve been pollinated, the flowers can produce the pods used in commercial vanilla production.

This species is usually pollinated by euglossine bees, also called orchid bees. These fruits are also called vanilla beans or pods, and each pod contains thousands of small black seeds. The west Indian vanilla produces 10-15cm long fruits, but some can grow as large as 30cm. The leaves of the west Indian vanilla are dark and glossy. This species is a climbing orchid, and it boasts some distinctive fleshy roots and long thin stems that climb up and around tree trunks. Sometimes called the vanilla pompona, west Indian vanilla is a species of perennial herb that comes from the orchid family. West Indian Vanillaįirst up, we have west Indian vanilla. These images only serve for inspiration and cannot be copied (images or the designs) for personal use. Photo Disclaimer – Images used in this article are owned by the respective individuals, artists, or other parties who post on their private social media accounts. We love vanilla for its versatility and its comforting but lightly spiced and exotic scent. The first known vanilla recipe appeared in 1805, and since then, vanilla has been used in beverages, soft drinks, fragrances, baked goods, and more.
