Name: Vanilla pompona Schiede
Synonyms: Vanilla sativum Schiede; Vanilla lutescens Cast.Moç. & Sessé ex R.Br.; Vanilla pompona subsp. grandiflora (Lindl.) Soto Arenas
Etymology: pompona = pompon-like — presumably referring to the rounded, thick shape of the ripe fruits (vanilla pods) compared to other species.

First description: 1829 by Christian Julius Wilhelm Schiede in Linnaea (4: 573).
Origin / Distribution: Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.
Location / Habitat: Hemiepiphytic climber in moist tropical lowland rainforests, seasonal dry forests, and gallery forests at elevations from sea level to approximately 1,000 meters. It often grows at forest edges or in open areas where it finds warm, moist conditions and bright, filtered light.
Description & Notes: Vanilla pompona (also frequently called "Pompona vanilla" or "Guadeloupe vanilla") is an extremely vigorous, monopodial climbing orchid with thick, fleshy, succulent stems. The leaves are large, broadly elliptical, leathery, and dark green. The large, waxy flowers are strikingly yellow to greenish-yellow, with an intensely yellow, hairy, trumpet-shaped lip. They open sequentially and each lasts only one day. The resulting fruits are considerably shorter but much thicker than those of true vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) and possess a characteristic, perfumed aroma with pronounced heliotropin notes.

In cultivation, this tropical crop plant requires warm to hot conditions year-round and plenty of space to climb (e.g., on sturdy supports or trees). The substrate in the ground area should be humus-rich, well-draining, and always moist, while the aerial roots require high humidity (over 70–80%). A bright, partially shaded location promotes growth, while a short, slightly drier period in late winter often helps induce flowering.