Vanilla planifolia Vanilla planifolia Vanilla planifolia is a species of vanilla orchid. It is native to Mexico and Central America, and is one of the primary sources for vanilla flavouring, due to its high vanillin content. Common names are flat-leaved vanilla, Tahitian vanilla, and West Indian vanilla (also used for the Pompona vanilla, "V. pompona"). Often, it is simply referred to as "the vanilla". It was first scientifically named in 1808. "Vanilla planifolia" is found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northeastern South America. It prefers hot, wet, tropical climates. It is cultivated and harvested primarily in Veracruz, Mexico and in
Mexican deer mouse Mexico. It is also relatively common in coffee and cacao plantations. Mexican deermice live in burrows in areas with substantial cover, such as fallen logs, tree roots, or dense undergrowth. Densities of up to 50 individuals per hectare have been reported, but can be much lower where food is less abundant. The home range of individual Mexican deer mice has been estimated at over . They are omnivorous, feeding on both seeds and invertebrates. They eat a wide variety of seeds, including plums, mangos, coffee beans, and acorns, as well as those from various local species of Solanaceae and Asteraceae.