Woody > Bixa > Bixa orellana > Bixa orellana
Bixa orellana
Achiote, Annatto, Lipstick Tree
Origin: The exact origin of B. orellana is not known, but it is native to the tropics of northern South America and Central America. It is grown in large acreages in Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, and Bolivia. It was one of the first New World plants to be introduced into southern Asia and tropical Africa, and has since become naturalized to these regions, including both the East and West Indies. It is minimally invasive on some Pacific islands, but is considered relatively low risk.
Mike's
Opinion
"
B. orellana is a unique, small tree with a large list of possible applications as a natural dye or medicine. When choosing what plant to write about for this paper I came across B. orellana, and soon realized that the annatto dye I previously used as a colourant for vegan cheese where I worked came from this plant. The plant's pretty pink blossoms and bright red, fuzzy fruit are very attractive and interesting, but become less attractive if left to dry and split open. The plant's foliage is also nice, but it does not seem like it would be a selling point.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Bixaceae |
| Genus |
| Bixa |
| Species |
| orellana |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 10 - 12 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| Greater than 9a |
| Temperature (°C) |
| 18 - 32 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 64 - 90 |
| Height |
| 2 - 8 m |
| Spread |
| 10 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| B. orellana is a large evergreen shrub native to the tropics of South America and Central America. It bears small pink blossoms followed by showy, bright red, bristly seed capsules. It often grows wider than tall as a shrub, giving it a domed appearance. |
| Landscape |
| Recommended for roadside plantings or as an informal hedge in spaces such as gardens and parks. B. orellana is commonly planted for its easy growth and ornamental flowers that are attractive to bees, as well as for the brightly coloured seed pods. |
| Cultivation |
| Tolerates a wide range of soil types, preferring well drained soil with a pH that is neutral or slightly alkaline. Grows impressively and thrives when planted deeply in rich soils abundant in organic matter. Requires high humidity, warm temperatures, and a location with full sun. Can tolerate situations of drought for periods of up to 4 months but generally requires moist soil and well distributed rainfall. Drier soil is preferred when maturing fruit. |
| Shape |
| B. orellana is usually seen growing as a large hedge with a wide, low canopy. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Three easy ways to identify B. orellana are by its flowers, fruit, and by the stain of its seeds. Flowers are light pink-white and resemble single wild roses. Fruits form bright red, egg-shaped, bristly capsules. Capsules that split open when ripe contain seeds which can be rubbed on as a lipstick substitute, hence the name ‘lipstick tree’. |
| Pests |
| No significant or serious pests, mildew can affect younger plants. |
| Habitat |
| B. orellana can be found growing below altitudes in coastal or inland tropical/subtropical thickets and forests in South America. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Bark ranges from light to dark brown, tough and appears smooth, sometimes fissured and contains lenticels. Inner bark is pinkish towards the outside with an orange, slightly bitter sap. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Flower buds are red and spherical on branchlets about 20 cm long. |
| Leaf Description |
| Leaves are spirally arranged, simple, stipulate, ovate, 7.5-24 x 4-16 cm, shallowly cordate to truncate at base, longly acuminate at apex, green or dark green above, grey or brownish-green beneath; scaly when young. Glabrous, petiole terete, thickened at both ends, 2-12 cm long. |
| Flower Description |
| B. orellana is usually seen flowering between the months of September and October, in Mexico flowers occur in November; sometimes observed flowering a second time in spring. |
| Texture Description |
| Bark is tough and appears smooth, sometimes fissuring. |
| Propagation |
| Propagate from either seed or by using stem cuttings. Sow seeds in the nursery at a spacing of 25 cm x 10 cm and a minimum depth of 2.5 cm because of their long taproots. Germination occurs within 8 to 10 days. Transplant seedlings after four months, when they are 15-25 cm tall, preferably at the onset of the rains. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| B. orellana has many roles in both the past and present. It has been primarily used as a dye, particularly before the innovation of synthetic colourants. Today it is a plant of economic significance because of its role in colouring foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Leaves have been traditionally used to treat many conditions, including snakebites, jaundice, fever, abdominal bloating, postpartum, dysentery, hypertension, and sore throat. Seeds are used to treat gonorrhea, asthma, congestion and are used as a laxative, as well as to expel tapeworms. Unripe fruits have been used to treat leprosy. |
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