Vanilla Orchid

The long, slender seed pods of Vanilla planifolia are the source of vanilla for culinary use. Native to the tropical forests of Central and South America, vanilla orchids grow as epiphytic vines with thick green stems and greenish flowers. The Aztecs were the first to cultivate this orchid for the flavor and aroma of its seed pods. Vanilla flavoring is extracted from these bean-like pods, which develop their characteristic taste and scent when they are dried and cured.