While it's considered a basic ingredient, there is nothing ordinary about a real vanilla orchid's complex flavor and fragrance. Hawaiian vanilla beans, in particular, are notoriously difficult to cultivate. However, they serve as a valuable specialty crop vital to the agricultural and tourist industry. The guide below explores the unique background of Hawaiian vanilla. 

The Origins of Vanilla

Vanilla beans come from a specific orchid native to Central and South America. The Totonacs of Mexico were likely the first to cultivate the plants. The Aztecs would later conquer the civilization and acquire the ingredient. They mixed vanilla with their chocolatl, a drink distantly related to chocolate produced from cacao seeds. The Spanish then took the plant after overthrowing the Aztecs and brought it to Europe.

For many years, people only used it as an additive to chocolate until an apothecary to Queen Elizabeth I invented vanilla-flavored sweetmeats. The French soon after began using it to flavor ice cream. The first American recipe to feature vanilla dates to 1824.

How It Came to Hawaii

After becoming a U.S. state, Hawaii was introduced to the world of vanilla. A gardener from London began experimenting with growing the plant in Oahu in the mid-1880s. With his success, many farmers throughout the islands began forming vanilla plantations of their own. 

Tom Kadooka is credited with widely expanding the industry in Hawaii. Starting in 1941, he began propagating the plants, sharing them with locals, and teaching the art of vanilla orchid farming. Today, it is a high-demand specialty crop used to grow and sell beans and products and serve as a unique educational tool for farm tours.

How It's Grown

The vanilla extracted for commercial use comes from the seed pod of a specific type of orchid. It develops like a vine, so some farmers grow them on cacao trees, while others build special housing units equipped with cages. 

Farmers must carefully tend to these plants for three to five years before the orchids begin producing flowers. Even then, vanilla beans need to grow for a year before being harvested. Pollination must be done within 36 hours of flowering to develop seed pods. These orchids only bloom for two to four hours in the early morning and must be quickly pollinated before they wither. This narrow window makes pollination tricky, so farmers often do it by hand.

For sweet, locally-grown beans from the only vanilla farm on Oahu, come to Laie Vanilla Company. This business produces organic vanilla using natural processes from over 800 orchid vines. Choose from their high-quality inventory of pure extract, Grade A beans, and cuttings, or learn more about the cultivation process with a fun and educational farm tour. Browse their catalog online, and call (808) 209-3354 if you have any questions.