Vanilla Humboltii - The Humboldt’s vanilla is an orchid native to the northern region of Madagascar and the nearby island chain of the Comoros. The plant is an epiphyte and is usually found growing in rocky terrains at elevations less than 200 meters. The Humboldt’s vanilla plant grows to heights of about 14 centimeters. There are more than 100 species within the genus of vanilla orchids, a genus distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
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Until the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Comoros served as an important provisioning station for ships passing through the Mozambique Channel as they sailed from Europe to Asia. The earliest inhabitants of Comoros came from Africa and consisted of Arabs, Bantu speaking people, and the Shirazi, a sub-group of the Swahili people. The Portuguese, Dutch, and British had an interest in the island, but it was the French who held Comoros as a colony until independence was granted in 1975.
