Area of Study: Vanilla Orchids

Vanilla essence is used across the world, however, most people that consume it are unaware that it’s an artificial compound that imitates an orchid’s spectacular aroma. This orchid is native to central America, but there are several species that carry this fragrance. With Darwin 200 we traveled to the Peruvian Madre de Dios region in the Amazon, where there are around twenty native species of vanilla orchids. They grow in flooded habitats called aguajales, on top or around the trunks of palms. Sadly, it is the same place where illegal gold mining occurs, an environmental threat that has become part of the economy for locals. In Inkaterra field station, our guide Daxs taught us about his great passion for this plant and why it can be a sustainable alternative to gold mining.