

Vanilla is an orchid grown commercially for its seed pods or ‘vanilla beans’. The flowers are open only for one day and must be hand-pollinated. The resulting seedpods are harvested green, cured by a sweating process and used for extract and flavoring.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones.