Description

This cultivar was selected by John Painter on Pine Island, Florida. It is sought after because the original clone was successfully pollinated by moths and did not require hand pollination to set fruit.

Vanilla planifolia is grown commercially for pod production of which extracts can be made. Its leaves are wide, dark green and flat. The vine is thicker when compared to V. × tahitensis. Some vanilla plants can grow 20ft or more per year.

Vanilla orchids can be grown in ground or in a container with a trellis or support to grow on. They are cold sensitive and require protection in USDA zones 9 and under. To root the cutting you can place it in a 4-5″ tall narrow pot with a well draining mix. E.g. seed starting mix, sifted compost+sand+pine shavings. You have to ensure at least one node is under the soil line. Cuttings root in 2-4 weeks depending on temperature, time of the year and moisture. The mix should remain moist at all times but not soggy.

Vanilla is a heavy feeder, it responds especially well to abundant organic matter. In agroforestry settings live posts of nitrogen fixers are used as supports for vanilla to grow and be trained on. The canopy of the live posts is continuously chopped to feed the system with organic matter. Vanilla orchids require shade in the 30-50% range, bright indirect light is ideal. Another trellis system could be a cedar post wrapped with burlap.

Although ‘Painter’ has proven to set fruit without hand pollination in Pine Island, Florida, successful pollination will ultimately depend on the specific environment and presence of pollinators where the plant is grown.

1 cutting (3-4 nodes) from a mature already flowering vine.