Vanilla Pompona

The botanical world is full of rare treasures awaiting discovery by plant lovers and foodies alike. Let’s uncover the Peruvian Amazon’s sweetest natural secret, Vanilla Pompona, in this essay co-written with Ashley Britton of Sekut Vanilla company.
Everyone knows the flavour of vanilla, but far fewer people would immediately identify the plant it comes from – the Vanilla Orchid (Vanilla planifolia and other species). Native to the wet tropical biomes of Mesoamerican and South America, the orchid is a climbing evergreen plant with fleshy leaves and aerial roots as well as elegant pale yellow or white flowers. Growing on rainforest trees, a single Vanilla orchid plant can grow 20 meters high and extend over an area of 200 square meters. Vanilla flavour comes from the dried and fermented seed pods, either as an extract containing the flavour compound vanillin dissolved in alcohol or as whole pods and seeds. Around 35 species of Vanilla Orchid are found in Mesoamerica and South America, with Vanilla planifolia as the most cultivated species.

Vanilla (‘Tlilxóchitl’ in Nahuatl) in the Florentine Codex Book XI

Vanilla is the world’s most popular flavour, but only 1% of globally produced vanilla flavour is made from the orchid. Of that natural vanilla, 98% is from the species Vanilla planifolia, 1.99% from V. tahitensis, and the remaining 0.01% is V. pompona and other wild varieties. Pompona is an heirloom variety endemic to Peru and neighbouring countries in the Amazon Region of South America. This species is distinctive for its larger leaves and thicker pods compared V. planifolia. These flavour-filled seed pods can grow up to 35cm in length and weigh an impressive 140g each. However, this rainforest treasure has been unfairly overlooked due to its lower yields and technical challenges in curing the pods.
Vanilla Pompona is part of its local ecosystem of swampy rainforest because this species is naturally pollinated by native bees, hummingbirds and other local insects. Outside of Mesoamerican, vanilla must be hand pollinated due to the lack of native pollinators. This connection with local pollinators means Vanilla Pompona needs no hand pollination. However, seed germination is challenging and rarely observed since the seeds are covered in a protective coating that only is removed once passing through the digestive tract fruit of an unknown animal, possibly a bat. Therefore, nearly all vines are grown from cuttings.

Growing Vanilla Pompona (1)

Bringing this exquisite flavour from the heart of the rainforest into your kitchen is possible thanks to Sekut Vanilla company. Unlike synthetic vanilla, natural vanilla has between 250 and 500 flavour and fragrance compounds. Vanilla Pompona beans offer a deeper and more intricate taste than standard natural vanilla extract made from V. planifolia. Described as buttery, almost caramel-like richness, combined with fruity, anisic and floral notes, this unusual version of vanilla can enhance both sweet and savoury recipes. This complexity makes Vanilla Pompona a versatile ingredient that adds flavour appeal to dishes with minimal extra calories.
Given its rarity and the labour-intensive process of cultivation and curing, Vanilla Pompona is not as readily available as other vanilla varieties. However, sourcing this extraordinary ingredient is worth the effort. If you would like to experience the unique flavour of Vanilla Pompona, please check out Sekut Vanilla to bring a rare treasure from the rainforest into your own kitchen.

Growing Vanilla Pompona (3)