Sowing months
Jun–Jul
Sunlight
Filtered shade
Water
High humidity, never soggy
Mature size
Climbs 3–8 m
First harvest
Pods from year three
Family
Orchidaceae
Where it grows
Garden / ground, Terrace / rooftop
Good for
Grow food
Sow in
Monsoon
Care
Every flower is open for one morning only — pollinate by hand.
A climbing orchid that must be hand-pollinated flower by flower, at dawn.
Growing it
Every flower is open for one morning only — pollinate by hand.
What it is for
Vanilla pods; a demanding but rewarding shade-house crop.