Vanilla is an agricultural crop that is a creeper in the orchid family. It is mostly grown for its nutritious fruits, which add flavor and perfume to cuisine. Vanilla thrives in the tropics. Mexico is where it was born. Vanilla requires a warm climate with frequent rains and prefers an annual rainfall of 150-300 cm. High quantities of moisture can cause sickness. Vanilla is regarded as one the world’s most time consuming and labour intensive plants.

Vanilla is obtained from the female sex organ of an orchid vine and it the only edible member of the orchid family.

Vanillas also contain water (35 %), sugars (25 %), fat (15 %), cellulose (15 to 30 %) and minerals (6 %). In addition to being a used in ice cream it is also an essential ingredient for cola drinks, cakes and some perfumes.

The pods, generally called beans, are produced by yellow and orange flowers that grow in bunch.A single plant can produce any number of flowers; however, a single flower can produce only one bean or pod.The beans or pods are ready for harvest 6-9 months after flowering. The beans can be considered as mature when they change from green to pale yellow.