Frank Oppermann/iStock/Getty Images. Vanilla beans grow on the vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia), a tall, flowering vine native to tropical Mexico. Vanilla orchids grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 and 12, thriving in humid conditions and rich, moist soil.anilla beans grow on the vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia), a tall, flowering vine native to tropical Mexico.