Creature Feature Encyclopedia: Plants

Vanilla Orchid Vanilla planifolia

Orchids are found all over the rainforest world. There are as many as one thousand different kinds of orchids in Costa Rica alone. Besides growing on the ground, many orchids live in trees. Like the bromeliad and some ferns, orchids use the trees they live in to be closer to light, but gain their food from rainwater and debris that washes down the bark. These kinds of plants are called epiphytes. One of the most interesting orchids is the vanilla orchid, the only type that is a vine. From the fruit of this extraordinary plant the world obtains vanilla extract. It is the flavor used to make vanilla ice cream and other good things to eat.

~A Walk in the Rainforest © 1992