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{{SPlantbox
{{SPlantbox
|familia=Orchidaceae
|familia=Orchidaceae
|genus=Vanilla
|genus=Vanilla
|species=planifolia
|species=planifolia
|common_name=Vanilla, Flat-leaved Vanilla, Tahitian Vanilla, West Indian Vanilla
|common_name=Vanilla, Flat-leaved Vanilla, Tahitian Vanilla, West Indian Vanilla
|habit=orchid
|habit=orchid
|Min ht metric=cm
|Min ht box=1
|Min ht metric=ft
|Max ht box=10
|Max ht metric=ft
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Min wd box=1
|Min wd metric=ft
|Max wd box=10
|Max wd metric=ft
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|origin=C & S America
|origin_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|lifespan=perennial
|lifespan=perennial
|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|exposure=sun
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|water=moist
|water_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|features=flowers, edible
|features=flowers, edible
|flowers=white
|flowers=white
|Temp Metric=°F
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=11
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|max_zone=12
|image=Vanilla1web.jpg
|image=Vanilla1web.jpg
|image_width=240
|image_width=240
Like all members of the genus ''Vanilla'', ''V. planifolia'' is a vine. It uses its fleshy roots to support itself as it grows.
Like all members of the genus ''Vanilla'', ''V. planifolia'' is a vine. It uses its fleshy roots to support itself as it grows.
Flowers are greenish-yellow, with a diameter of 5 cm (2 in). They last only a day, and must be [[pollinated]] manually, during the morning, if fruit is desired. The plants are [[self-fertilization|self-fertile]], and pollination simply requires a transfer of the pollen from the [[anther]] to the stigma. If pollination does not occur, the flower is dropped the next day. In the wild, there is less than 1% chance that the flowers will be pollinated, so in order to receive a steady flow of fruit, the flowers must be hand-pollinated when grown on farms. Hand pollinators can pollinate about 1,000 flowers per day.
Flowers are greenish-yellow, with a diameter of 5 cm (2 in). They last only a day, and must be [[pollinated]] manually, during the morning, if fruit is desired. The plants are [[self-fertilization|self-fertile]], and pollination simply requires a transfer of the pollen from the [[anther]] to the stigma. If pollination does not occur, the flower is dropped the next day. In the wild, there is less than 1% chance that the flowers will be pollinated, so in order to receive a steady flow of fruit, the flowers must be hand-pollinated when grown on farms. Hand pollinators can pollinate about 1,000 flowers per day.
Fruit is produced only on mature plants, which are generally over 3 m (10 ft) long. The fruits are 15-23 cm (6-9 in) long pods (often incorrectly called beans). They mature after about five months, at which point they are harvested and [[curing (food preservation)|cured]]. Curing ferments and dries the pods while minimizing the loss of [[essential oil]]s. [[Vanilla extract]] is obtained from this portion of the plant.
Fruit is produced only on mature plants, which are generally over 3 m (10 ft) long. The fruits are 15-23 cm (6-9 in) long pods (often incorrectly called beans). They mature after about five months, at which point they are harvested and [[curing (food preservation)|cured]]. Curing ferments and dries the pods while minimizing the loss of [[essential oil]]s. [[Vanilla extract]] is obtained from this portion of the plant.
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