Vanilla is just the thing to enrich your private orchid collection with magical beauty. The demanding, terrestrial and climbing orchid wears a rich green dress of large, shiny leaves on meter-long tendrils. With so much floral expressiveness, the creamy yellow flowers act as a decorative icing on the cake after a few years. Read here how to cultivate the Vanilla planifolia as a houseplant in an exemplary manner.
How do I care for a vanilla orchid as a houseplant?
To cultivate a vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia) as a houseplant, it needs a bright, warm location without direct midday sun, as well as a high humidity of 60-70%. Water with lime-free water as soon as the substrate has dried and fertilize every two weeks during the growth phase.
Moisture and warmth are the be-all and end-all
For a vanilla orchid to thrive as a houseplant, the indoor climate should be as close as possible to the conditions in the habitat. As the real vanilla profile tells us, the orchid comes from tropical regions of the world, such as Madagascar and Mexico. This is what the ideal location should be like:
- Very bright, but without blazing sun at midday
- All year round temperatures between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius
- High humidity of 60 to 70 percent, preferably higher
Generating this sweaty climate on the windowsill of a living room is not for everyone. You solve the problem by setting up a small humidifier (€69.00 on Amazon) in the immediate vicinity of the plant and filling the saucer with expanded clay balls and water. Alternatively, place the plant in the bathroom, indoor pool or other light-flooded spa room.
Ideal location simplifies care
Proper care of a vanilla houseplant is much easier in a warm, bright, humid place. If the conditions are right, only water the orchid when the substrate has dried to the surface. Please use lukewarm, lime-free water. Pamper your exotic guest with a gentle mist every few days. From March to September, add a little orchid fertilizer to the irrigation water every 2 weeks.
Cared for so lovingly, the chances are good that the vanilla orchid will produce its creamy yellow flowers after a few years. Until then, the magnificent tendrils on the decorative trellis will attract everyone's attention.
Tip
Home-made vanilla sugar from home-grown pods far surpasses the artificial vanillin from the supermarket. Place 5 fresh pods in the oven at 120-150 degrees for 15 minutes, let them cool and grind them into a fine powder. One teaspoon of this real vanilla is enough to transform 1,000 grams of sugar into authentic, aromatic vanilla sugar.