Vanilla

Vanilla is an orchid flower in the Orchidaceae family that grows on vines and is estimated to have been growing in the wild for at least 65 million years. It’s a heat and shade loving plant that is interdependent with nearby trees to support its vines and a need for wet, humid climates to get moisture from the air. Vanilla’s origins have been traced to Central America where they were first cultivated by indigenous Totonac peoples in the Papantla region thousands of years ago in what is now known as Veracruz, Mexico. For it’s perfume and flavor, vanilla maintained a high-status throughout the indigenous empires of the Olmecs, Maya, Totonacs, and Aztecs, and was largely reserved for royalty or special ceremonial drinks. You can learn more about this sacred flower/fruit in our vanilla profile.