Can you grow a vanilla orchid from the seeds in a vanilla bean?
This may be a silly question…but I really wonder… I’ve got a lot of vanilla beans on hand.
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2 comments a “Can you grow a vanilla orchid from the seeds in a vanilla bean?”
No.
Growing orchids from seed requires near laboratory-level cleanliness and sterility. For this reason many orchids are grown using tissue-culture techniques.
If you have the seeds, take them out. Let them dry. Then take a mason jar. If you have access to agarose or sucrose place about a teaspoon in the jar, then fill the jar with water up to about 1/2 inch. Seal the jar and place it inside a pressure cooker. Cook the jar on max heat for about an hour. It’s now sterilized. As cleanly as possible…Remove the jar and quickly open it, throw in the seeds and seal it up again.
IF it’s gonna work, the seeds will begin to grow white or near-white cells masses in about a month. I wouldn’t hold your breath though.
Good question! Of course most vanilla orchids are established in sterile laboratory settings. Also some vanilla orchid varieties produce sterile seeds, think of a seedless watermelon. Sometimes the process of preserving the vanilla bean, which can involve immersion in alchohol can “kill” the seeds. It is easy to buy a vanilla orchid plant though, my friend has several and they do grow well indoors. He has managed to harvest a few beans, but he doesn’t have many, it also takes up to 8 months for each bean to mature. You may want to look into purchasing a vanilla orchid, it would be an interesting and fun challenge!
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