Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus vanilla, primarily obtained from pods of the mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla (v. planifolia).pollination is required to make the plants produce the fruit from which the vanilla spice is obtained. in 1837, belgian botanist charles françois antoine morren discovered this fact and pioneered a method of artificially pollinating the plant. the method proved financially unworkable and was not deployed commercially. in 1841, edmond albius, a 12-year-old slave child who lived on the french island of réunion in the indian ocean, discovered that the plant could be hand-pollinated. hand-pollination allowed global cultivation of the plant. no...

Source: Wikipedia