Blooming vanilla

[Puna Kite Man]

My vanilla orchid is blooming. I tried to pollinate four of them. I'm not sure that I did it correctly. I would like to get with someone in Pahoa to have them show me please.My email is cvmac56@gmail.com and 808-315-4847 is my phone. Thanks...Vince

[bananahead]

use your pinky finger to 'hand' pollinate the orchid, or better yet get a 5 yr old to use his...

if you want a demo/info, take a tour at the Hawaiian Vanilla Co. up near Kolopa State Park in Hamakua. That family (that relocated here from Oahu with no experience) is the only one doing it commercially here (or in entire US)...

Not Easy to grow, thus its the 2nd most expensive spice in World (behind saffron)

my moms in HPP has bloomed in the past, but we just enjoy the flowers... knowing how difficult it is to get a seed pod (bean)
good luck

http://www.hawaiianvanilla.com/

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save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[Puna Kite Man]

That's a great idea but a lot of gas to go up to Pauillo. I was hoping to find someone that would allow me to watch them do it in Puna......Thanks

[taropatch]

Check this out at the 2:10 mark:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Pguwl9c1Q

... and there are a couple more pollination youtube videos that you could find.

My vine has never flowered. How did you get yours to flower? Any particular fertilizer? Does your vine grow in full sun, partial shade, or full shade?

[leilaniguy]

I had some growing up an ohia snag, when it finally fell there were several pods on it. Something here naturally pollinates it, maybe humming bird moth (hawkmoth), bats, carpenter bees?

[Puna Kite Man]

Thanks for the video, but I am really wishing to be able to actually see someone else do the pollinating in person. My vanilla has grown over 25 feet in the last three years on my hapuu fern in full and partial sun. I got so excited to see it flower this year for the first time. But before it is over I would like to get at least one pollinated correctly for sure. Thanks, Vince

[Puna Kite Man]

Thank you all for advice but I did get a good Samaritan to show me how to pollinate correctly. I was way off base before. Blessings