OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

Vanilla is a special flavor that comes from a beautiful orchid plant, and it is the only orchid in the world that grows something we can eat! The vanilla orchid is a climbing vine with pretty white or yellow flowers. It is one of the most popular flavors in the whole world.

The vanilla flower only blooms for one single day! If the flower is not pollinated on that one day, it will not grow a vanilla bean. Today most vanilla flowers are pollinated by hand using a little stick. The plant then grows long, green pods that turn dark brown as they dry in the sun for many months.

Vanilla is used to flavor things like ice cream, cakes, cookies, and candy. After the green pods are picked, they are soaked in hot water and dried for months until they develop their amazing sweet smell. Most of the world’s vanilla comes from the island of Madagascar.

• In the wild, a tiny bee called the Melipona bee is the only creature that can pollinate the vanilla flower!

• Vanilla is one of the most expensive spices because it takes so much time and work to grow.

• Next time you enjoy vanilla ice cream, remember it started as a flower on a tropical vine!