West Indian vanilla, Guadeloupe vanilla, Pompona vanilla
Vanilla pompona

Family: Orchidaceae

What it is like

An orchid. It is like vanilla but has larger leaves and flowers and shorter, thicker pods. The vine has aerial roots to climb. It can be 5 m long. The leaves are fleshy and 10-30 cm long by 6-10 cm wide. The flowers are greenish-white. They are in groups in the axils of leaves. The fruit is spindle shaped and 1.5 cm long. They contain many seeds.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in forests.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies, Winward Is.

How it is used for food

The pods are used for flavouring.

It is less used than true vanilla.

Edible parts

Fruit, flavouring

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Baunilha, Pompon

Synonyms

Vanilla grandiflora Lindl.; and several others