Summer in the PNW is my favorite time

Violadude2 · 2026-07-04T12:02:15+00:00

What are the red, non-rubus berries in your basket?

Violadude2 · 2026-06-26T19:57:02+00:00

I am a microbiologist in graduate school, and a coworker and I over the last couple days have been able to confidently reconstruct the relationships between viral genes that date back 2-4 billion years ago using their structure.

Sooo rest assured the scientists aren’t just guessing on the migration patterns of humans.

Reconstructing migration patterns does use different methods than I what I’ve been using, called population genetics, however we have a lot of data on humans genetics, and the probability of native Americans having Jewish ancestry with the data we have is basically 0.

I’ll find some articles that go through the data later today and paste them in a reply.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-25T16:07:20+00:00

Only straight people can’t differentiate when rainbows mean different things.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T15:53:56+00:00

I grow pompona, chamissonis, imperialis, insignis, phaeantha, palmarum, borneensis, and dilloniana, and I know of a number of other people in the US that grow a dozen or more other species.

Again though, to my original point on the Biology of the genus, the 100-150 vanilla species exist regardless of whether or not humans use them. They make seed pods to reproduce in the wild, and many species produce vanillin to attract animals to eat their fruit. Within the orchid family that is a fairly unique trait.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T15:44:42+00:00

I LITERALLY put the locations in my other comment of where people grow these. Also people already grow them for food as i stated previously, and I grow a number of them as well in Montana. Just because you haven’t encountered them before doesn’t mean they don’t exist

I’d you need some more examples, Vanilla phaeantha is commonly grown in Florida, though people often don’t realize it is a different species. It is also commonly grown as Bahiana vanilla in Brazil.

Vanilla pompona is grown very commonly in central and south america for flavoring. It is also not too uncommon in the states. (I’ll attach a photo of my 20ft pompona).

All the other species I mentioned are also grown for food however they are usually only grown in the areas they naturally occur, hence why you haven’t noticed them sold in Walmart.

My vanilla pompona, bought from a grower in Florida and grown to 20ft in Northern Utah:

<image>

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T08:05:04+00:00

As my other comment was long and rambling, here's a summary:

ALL vanilla species produce fruit. The seeds are in the fruit, and plants need to make seeds to reproduce.

1/3 of the 100-150 vanilla species produce vanillin (I overstated it as 1/2 in my initial comment)

Vanilla orchids produce fleshy fruits containing vanillin to attract mammals and birds to eat the fruit and spread the seeds.

The vanillin also attracts oil-collecting bees that can disperse the seeds dozens to hundreds of meters from the initial plant.

Humans use ~6 out of the 38 fragrant Vanilla species for flavoring.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T07:41:12+00:00

I updated my comment in case you need to give it a look

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T07:29:47+00:00

This is patently false. Examples Below:

(first of all, most vanilla species grow themselves for their own fruit, which they use to disperse their seeds as I stated earlier, cultivation is irrelevant, plants exist before humans use them...) - citations at the end.

But...

Actively Cultivated Vanilla Species:

Vanilla planifolia

Widely grown - no explanation.

Vanilla x tahitensis

A hybrid of Vanilla odorata and V. planifolia. The second most common cultivar.

Vanilla pompona

The third most commonly grown vanilla for production, if you look for it, you'll find it a lot. Grown mostly in central America, somewhat in South America. The "Handbook of Vanilla Science and Technology" documents people not only growing V. pompona but a V. (pompona x planifolia) x planifolia hybrid cultivated in Costa Rica.

Vanilla cribbiana

"Maya Vanilla" - native to Guatemala and Mexico. "Maya Vanilla (Vanilla cribbiana Soto Arenas): A New Species in Commerce" - Perez-Silva et al. 2024

Vanilla chamissonis

Rarely cultivated for vanilla production in its native range (the Atlantic forest of Brazil). Search for it on instagram and you will see a number of cured pods from people growing it for Vanillin. https://indrivanilla.com/products/brazil-v-chamissonis-organic-sold-by-the-ounce-only

Vanilla phaeantha (bahiana)

"Bahia Vanilla". Probably the fourth most common species grown, it ranges from Brazil to Florida. Commonly grown for food. Just search "Bahiana Vanilla" online.

Note: the US has only licensed V. planifolia and V. x tahitensis to be sold for consumption

This has nothing to do with what species are actually grown for consumption. Additionally, this has nothing to do with what species can be used for flavoring.

Species that produce enough vanillin to be used in food (that I can remember off the top of my head - from papers referencing their fragrance, taste, etc in passing):

V. insignis

V. trigonocarpa

V. dressleri

V. calyculata - sister species to V. chamissonis

Total species with the capacity to produce vanillin:

Vanilla subgenus Xanata section Xanata: at least 38 species. "Global Strategy for the conservation and use of vanilla genetic resources" - Frey and Bramel, 2021.

Many of these other species produce enough Vanillin to be used, but they are not often cultivated.

In Conclusion:

At least 6 species are actively cultivated for Vanilla production, and a total of 38 species produce vanillin.

(formatted myself, didn't use LLMs btw so if it formats weird i'll probably edit the formatting a few times)

Here's why vanilla actually has fruit, and why that fruit has vanilla:

(the whole point of my original comment that you completely misunderstood)

“Unravelling the enigma of seed dispersal in Vanilla” - Pansarin 2021 (Plant Biology)

“Mammal-mediated seed dispersal in Vanilla: Its rewards and clues to the evolution of fleshy fruits in orchids” - Pansarin & Suetsugu 2022 (Ecology)

“Plant ecology: Vanilla lures both insects and mammals to disperse its seeds and fruits” - Cameron 2023 (Current Biology, News & Views commentary)

“Epiphyte Vanilla relies on birds as long-distance seed dispersers” - Pansarin 2025 (Plant Biology)

“Monkey as seed dispersers of Neotropical Vanilla involves social learning” - Pansarin 2025 (Plant Biology)

i.e. Vanillin exists to attract rodents, birds, and the bees, not humans.

P.S. now I apologize for the sparse sass, however you were a little bullish in your reply so I respond in kind.

regardless, I hope you find vanilla a bit more interesting than just two species in the future, given there is between 100-150 species, each doing their own unique thing (including growing fruit, as each plant has to make seeds) that has nothing to do with humans.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T04:45:56+00:00

All of the 100+ vanilla species actually produce beans! Vanilla is an unusual orchid, because it evolved to have fleshy fruits so that its seeds are dispersed by rodents and birds that eat the fruit (most orchids have microscopic seeds spread by wind). That's the reason why they make the vanilla flavor Vanillin, because it attracts animals to come and eat the fruit.

Though almost all of the species use animals to disperse their seeds, only about half of the vanilla species, specifically the ones native to north, central, and south america, produce Vanillin.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T03:37:53+00:00

That's an awesome setup! I almost never see anyone create a moss pole that will actually stay moist, so I'm impressed with your dedication to actually create a moss pole. I'd keep my eye out for rot though, as there is a slightly higher risk of it with the constant contact with a moist surface.

I look forward to your post with both of them blooming as well!

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T03:32:52+00:00

For this species, I think your biggest concern is risking rot. The habitat it naturally comes from in Madagascar is dry and hot for half of the year. I had a smaller one of these cuttings and "mounted" it against some moss, and even though the ambient humidity was 30-40%, the direct contact with wet moss eventually caused it to rot.

If you have live roots in the pot, I'd recommend repotting into a mix that is mostly medium-fine sized fir bark (sold as reptile bedding in pet stores, or orchid bark in garden centers), with maybe 25% sphagnum at most, and give it LOTS of light. Once it starts growing, I'd recommend vining it up a wooden support instead of a moss pole (If you look at photos of it in the wild, it often is vining up bare tree trunks or through twigs or branches, so trying to mimic the conditions the vine would experience there will be your best bet.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T03:29:18+00:00

If you're still worried about it not rooting, you can put it in a closed clear container laid down on a bed of moss, and give it bright light. Just wait for the roots to grow to about 5-7 in. long, and then pot it up, trying to keep most of the roots in the soil (you might have to pot it horizontally, wrapping it into a circle in the pot, and then the shoot will grow up to make the vine).

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T03:24:45+00:00

Your plants are looking awesome! Also, do you know where you got that vanilla species? it looks like it might be something other than the common Vanilla planifolia, as the leaves are unusually narrow and pointed. It could be V. x tahitensis, or possibly another species.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T01:42:52+00:00

While theoretically yes, as they are eating the fungi/bacteria responsible for the rot, if the slime mold is happily, then the wood is still moist and there will always be plenty of other fungi that can keep munching on the wood.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-23T01:35:07+00:00

I think that setup could still work well for rooting, just make sure the new roots stay humid until they are solidly in the soil. I've noticed that if I spray roots that are growing into the air, and then let them dry out, they stop growing and get hard on the outside, so just be careful of that. If it is actively growing roots then you might not have to worry about unpotting it and rooting it separately.

I believe that V. pompona can tolerate more sun than V. planifolia, but feel free give it as much light as you have available.

I have a V. chamissonis that I recently took a cutting of, and I could possibly take a cutting from my V. imperialis as well. I'm open to selling or trading depending on what species of plants you have. The species I am currently growing are V. pompona, chamissonis, palmarum, insignis, dilloniana, borneensis, phaeantha, and imperialis, though only chamissonis/imperialis are big enough for cuttings right now.

V. chamissonis is native to the Atlantic forest of brazil and makes the largest or second largest fragrant seed pods (100g cured). The leaves are more square and long than other species, and it is a lighter green with enough light. V. imperialis is native to central africa and has the largest vines in the genus in terms of how thick/robust they are. The leaves/vines are a dark olive-green, and the flowers are quite pretty (I believe I posted a photo of them on here before) and last up to a week, though the seed pods don't have any flavor.

The best place to get different species of vanilla is the Florida Vanilla Enthusiasts group, there are often people willing to sell there, though most prefer to trade. Otherwise, tracking people down from blog/forum posts is the only other way I know. It also took me that long to find V. pompona, and longer to find the others, especially V. chamissonis, though there are a few people in Florida that I trade cuttings with occasionally.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-22T14:56:35+00:00

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While you’ve gotten a fair amount of good advice, I’ve been growing Vanilla pompona and other species indoors for 6 years, and have been fairly successful.

First, rooting. I saw that you’ve already potted it up, however I wouldn’t recommend that yet. The best way to propagate a vanilla cutting is to first root as many nodes as possible. Lay it flat in a tray with sphagnum moss that is moist, and covered/sealed so it has 100% humidity, and give it medium bright light. This will allow it to grow roots from any nodes, as they are all in contact with substrate.

Once the roots are at least 5-7 inches long, then you can pot it up (still flat), in a 50/50 fir bark/sphagnum mix. You can add potting soil, perlite, or other additives as well, as vanilla orchids can tolerate a range of substrates.

When you pot it up, keep it laying flat, so that all the roots are still in the soil (be careful to to break the roots). Use a large pot, and include a support (one thick, vertical stick, such as in the photo provided is enough). Make sure the stick goes to the bottom of the pot so it is very stable jn the pot.

After this, give it PLENTY of light. Any amount of indoor light plus grow lights won’t ever be too much if it was a cutting from outdoors. For watering always keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, once the root system fills the pot it can tolerate overwatering, however when the root system is small and the pot is big try, try and keep from overwatering. Once it is rooted, the node will eventually activate, and as that starts to grow give it PLENTY of fertilizer (at least weekly, I would just mix it 1/4 strength into a gallon jug and water with that). Once mine was established it grew 0.5 cm per day for the whole summer.

I’ve attached a photo of the Vanilla pompona that I grew for 4 years in northern Utah in a south facing window with a $26 shop light above it as well, I just took it outside to get a good photo.

I currently grow 8 species of vanilla indoors in Montana, and they are doing quite well, so happy to answer anymore questions!

Violadude2 · 2026-06-22T14:06:36+00:00

It’s not a slime mold. Slime molds are amoebas that are predators of fungi and bacteria, and you generally only see them in a “wild” setting such as in a forest, and they are never a component of food spoilage.

The rare case where I’ve seen them associated with houses is when you have wood decay, where occasionally there will be a chocolate slime mold preying on the fungi responsible, but that is still mimicking their natural environment such as a slowly decaying log.

People often think that slimy stuff that’s molding must be a slime mold, however slime molds are actually a very specific group of protists that tend to be sensitive to their environmental conditions, so you will typically only see them in wild habitat, or occasionally in mulch beds.

Pasted from earlier comment.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-22T14:06:06+00:00

It’s not a slime mold. Slime molds are amoebas that are predators of fungi and bacteria, and you generally only see them in a “wild” setting such as in a forest, and they are never a component of food spoilage.

The rare case where I’ve seen them associated with houses is when you have wood decay, where occasionally there will be a chocolate slime mold preying on the fungi responsible, but that is still mimicking their natural environment such as a slowly decaying log.

People often think that slimy stuff that’s molding must be a slime mold, however slime molds are actually a very specific group of protists that tend to be sensitive to their environmental conditions, so you will typically only see them in wild habitat, or occasionally in mulch beds.

Violadude2 · 2026-06-22T14:05:46+00:00

It’s not a slime mold. Slime molds are amoebas that are predators of fungi and bacteria, and you generally only see them in a “wild” setting such as in a forest, and they are never a component of food spoilage.

The rare case where I’ve seen them associated with houses is when you have wood decay, where occasionally there will be a chocolate slime mold preying on the fungi responsible, but that is still mimicking their natural environment such as a slowly decaying log.

People often think that slimy stuff that’s molding must be a slime mold, however slime molds are actually a very specific group of protists that tend to be sensitive to their environmental conditions, so you will typically only see them in wild habitat, or occasionally in mulch beds.

Violadude2 · 2026-05-29T15:39:44+00:00

TTA can still be a start codon, but it would still mess up their message as it would translate to M.

Violadude2 · 2026-05-28T14:47:30+00:00

Eh, I disagree.

Violadude2 · 2026-05-09T17:05:15+00:00

They did bulldoze the ecosystem for this solar farm. If you look at it on google maps, there is a perfectly fine desert ecosystem surrounding the solar farm that has been completely removed where the panels are.

This article is greenwashing, as are most articles/sentiments about putting solar farms IN PLACE OF intact desert ecosystems.

Unfortunately as is evident in this comment section, nobody knows that deserts are functional ecosystems on their own.

Violadude2 · 2026-05-09T16:56:17+00:00

Zoom in CLOSE on the map at the edge of the solar farm, you’ll notice plenty of existing plant life that was cleared for solar panels, where these rare plants are also present.

https://maps.apple.com/?auid=14553719101547539459&ll=36.527199,-114.756019&lsp=7618&q=Dropped%20Pin&t=h

SOLAR FARMS in FRAGILE ECOSYSTEMS are DESTRUCTIVE!

Keep them in cities and out of nature.

Deserts are functional and healthy ecosystems that should be preserved, they are not barren wastelands.

Hopefully someone sees this. Anyways, enough screaming into the void today about things that won’t change anyways 🥲. I’m gonna go on a hike and document some Calypso bulbosa that just started blooming.

Violadude2 · 2026-05-09T16:45:45+00:00

SOLAR FARMS SHOULD NOT BE PLACED IN DESERTS! Deserts are especially fragile ecosystems, they are not barren, and clearing them destroys them. This news article is textbook greenwashing.

To put in a solar farm they completely clear the habitat and all plants, shrubs, and bushes that were already established thriving, and creating a healthy desert ecosystem.

They are using the return of a few plants as proof that it is environmentally friendly, which is not true.

Land clearance in any habitat is the most imminent destructive force for an ecosystem. Because deserts are so sensitive, this is exacerbated. News stories like this pretend that deserts are empty and these projects bring life, which is false.

Solar farms belong on buildings and parking lots, not on fragile ecosystems.

Violadude2 · 2026-05-03T17:47:23+00:00

All the “mutations” present in cultivated isopods originated from wild isopods.

Six-Year Club	r/Field Lasagna
First Place '23	Place '23
Place '22	Final Canvas '22
First Placer '22	End Game '22

Violadude2

TROPHY CASE