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Vanilla Orchid (Vanilla planifolia)

Flowering Plants

Vanilla Orchid is a species of orchid native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Brazil, and one of the primary sources of vanilla flavoring because of its high vanillin content. It is also known as flat-leaved vanilla or West Indian vanilla, and it was first scientifically named in 1808.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Photosynthetic Autotroph 1
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 1
Relationship to People
Farmed or Commercially Raised 2
Living or Extinct
Yes 3
Scientific Name
Vanilla planifolia 5
Conservation Status
Endangered 5
Comparison
CITES Appendix
Appendix II 4
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Orchidaceae, Taxa
Source Vanilla planifolia (Wikidata)

In Biome

Tropical Rainforest, Biomes
Source Plants For A Future: Vanilla planifolia
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Bangladesh

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Belize

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Colombia

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Comoros

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Costa Rica

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Dominican Republic

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Ecuador

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El Salvador

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Guatemala

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Guyana

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Honduras

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Jamaica

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Madagascar

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Mauritius

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Nicaragua

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North America

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Paraguay

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Peru

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Seychelles

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Suriname

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Tonga

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Venezuela

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Sources
1. Vanilla planifolia (Wikipedia)
  • Lead, sentence naming the group it belongs to
    Vanilla planifolia is a species of vanilla orchid native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Brazil.
  • system statement
    It will sometimes grow as an epiphyte without rooting in the soil.
View the Source
2. Vanilla Orchid (Vanilla planifolia) (Wikipedia)
had become a widely cultivated crop across the worldView the Source
3. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
4. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Vanilla planifolia
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 16030
Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 16030
"rank":"SPECIES","name_status":"A","updated_at":"2026-04-01T12:58:52.530Z","active":true,"cites_listing":"II"
View the Source
5. Vanilla planifolia (Wikidata)
Wikidata
  • Wikidata Q7224923 (P225 taxon name)
  • Wikidata P141 (IUCN conservation status) claim, entity QID Q7224923
  • Statements section, conservation status (P141)
    IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): endangered.
  • Child Taxon Of: Orchidaceae, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
Plant (Wikipedia)
Lead, whole group is photosynthetic
Quote, Lead, whole group is photosynthetic
They are predominantly photosynthetic or came from photosynthetic ancestors, meaning that they obtain their energy from sunlight by using the green pigment chlorophyll in their chloroplasts to produce sugars from carbon dioxide and water.
View the Source
Plants For A Future: Vanilla planifolia
Plants For A FutureIn Biome: Tropical Rainforest, Habitats
Quote, In Biome: Tropical Rainforest, Habitats
Usually found climbing on trees in warm, wet tropical low land forests at elevations from sea-level to 600 metres
View the Source
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