I finally broke down and bought myself a vanilla plant at the annual orchid show here in Ft.Laud. on Fri. I got a lightly variegated one. There were some that were green and white! This one is green and like yellowish stripes on the sides of the leaves. Ok..I know it will be years before I see a flower, if I am lucky, But I am in south Fla. so I know it can grow and flower here as well. BUT...this one is about 2.5 feet long, and it is planted in sphagnum moss in a tiny pot. I am planing on potting it up and putting it on a trellis,for the next few years. Then it will probably either be blooming, or get attached to a tree to grow up into the canopy.

But I need to know. Should I pot it up into more moss that I bought at the show? OR orchid 'bark mix' that I bought at the show? I dont know if vanilla gets its nutrients from its roots in the pot, or from its ariel roots? So does it matter what it is planted in? Or is it more important what it attaches itself to?

For the price, $10, I had to finally buy one, and a variegated one at that! Everyone there was still asking outrageous prices for tiny little cuttings, this one is very healthy and long 2.5 feet at least, I haven't straightened it out yet, but it has 1 grow point, and no spots, no damage,no rot, I lucked out. But i want to pot it up and get it on a small trellis asap. So....what would be the best bet? And what is its light needs? I mean direct hot sun? Or morning sun and then shade? Or shade all day? Right now it is cool and not burning hot all day,but that will change in a month or two. I got so many opinions on its light needs. What does it like? guess thats it. I grow my few orchids hanging from a plumeria tree all year, and they all bloom and grow great. They are vandeous and cattleya types. So they get dappled sun in the summer and full sun in the fall/winter. What about this vanilla? Would that be what it likes? Or more sun, or less sun? Opinions?

I shouldnt have bought the few orchids that I did. But I went nuts,and i got some very rare ones, that i know will be worth a lot in a few years,the 'new' very deep purple almost black 'Rhy. Coriline'? it is like the Rhy. Gigantea,but its bloom is deep purple almost black! I got a seedling that is fairly good sized, that I am going to pot up in a cedar basket and hang next to my other Rhys. I ignore them, and all of them are in bloom right now. Hanging from my plumeria. So it is set, but repotting the vanilla has me stumped.