Vanilla was first grown by the Totonaco Indians in what is now Mexico. They were conquered both by the Aztecs and later Cortez, who took vanilla pods back to Spain to grow, but without a special bee needed for pollination, they couldn’t get the plant to produce beans. Of all the orchids, Vanilla is the only orchid that produces an edible fruit. Today, vanilla is grown around the world. Madagascar grows most of the world’s vanilla with Indonesia, Mexico, and Tahiti, also growing significant amounts. Vanilla is expensive mainly because it is labor intensive due to its need for hand pollination.
Growing Home: Vanilla
