Growing Vanilla in Australia

The World's Most Labour-Intensive Spice Vanilla is the world's second most expensive spice after saffron, and the labour intensity of its production explains why. Vanilla planifolia is a climbing orchid that in its native Mexico is pollinated by a specific species of Melipona bee found nowhere else in the world. Outside Mexico, every vanilla flower must be hand-pollinated individually — and each flower is open for only 8–12 hours, once per year, requiring attentive daily monitoring during fl…