Vanilla belongs to a group that includes some of the most primitive orchids. The name is derived from the Spanish word vainilla meaning small pod and is characterized by vine-like plants that climb and branch. A leaf and short roots that attach to tree trunks and branches are present at each node. The flowers, produced from congested racemes opposite the leaf axils, are large and showy and short-lived, but produced in succession so that the plant is attractive for weeks or even months at a time. Vanilla is one of the few orchids, other than those grown for the cut flower trade, with widespread commercial use. V. planifolia is widely cultivated for its long, slender, fleshy pods that are essential for the manufacture of vanilla flavoring.