Vanilla

History

The first historical reference to the cultivation of vanilla trees dates back to the 18th century, in the state of Veracruz, Mexico.

In that region, the Totonacas groups named vanilla Axi-Xanath (recondite flower), and developed the technique of curing this pod to perfume the chocolate drink.

The origin of vanilla cultivation is commonly related to the Totonaca culture; There is also evidence of vanilla collection and cultivation from the Mayan Lowlands, its inhabitants named vanilla sisbic-ak (smelly vine), and it was used as medicine and perfume.

In the Codex of the Cross, the ritual use of cured vanilla seeds is mentioned, which were mixed with copal resin producing a perfume that they used in their temples.

Its use is reported to be associated with the consumption of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), a species with which the chocolate drink from the Mayan area is made. Chocolate was a product of very high value reserved for the Mayan and Aztec elite, who called vanilla Tlilxochitl (black flower), in the Nahuatl language.

 

Plant

The vanilla plant (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) is a species of the Vanilla orchid genus, with a climbing habit and creeping growth, native to the forested areas of Mesoamerica, especially Mexico.

Structurally, it is a climbing liana with woody branches, which climbs trees to be able to nourish itself from sunlight, humidity from the environment and the nutrients it captures from the air, thanks to which, when its root is cut, the plant can still be alive.

It can measure more than 10 meters in length, its leaves are dark green, shiny, flat (hence its scientific name planifolia) and pointed.