Bixa orellana aka Lipstick Tree

Bixa orellana is an evergreen shrub or small tree. Its common names include annatto, achiote, and lipstick tree. It belongs to the Bixaceae family. Its native range runs from Mexico into tropical South America. It grows in forests and in coastal and inland thickets. People also grow it across many warm parts of Asia. They plant it for its looks and seed colouring.

In gardens, shrubs reach about 6–12 feet [1.8–3.7 metres]. Their spread can reach 12 feet [3.7 metres]. Trees may reach 20–30 feet [6.1–9.1 metres]. Useful Tropical Plants gives a broader height range of 6.6–26 feet [2–8 metres]. Growth is fast, and the plant keeps its leaves year-round. The pointed leaves have an oval or heart-shaped outline. They grow about 3–7 inches long. Pink flowers grow in branched clusters at the stem tips. Each flower measures about two inches across and has five petals. Bees pollinate the flowers. Bloom follows a seasonal pattern, without a fixed month range here.

Bristly capsules follow the flowers and add colour to the plant. Their colour ranges from reddish brown to bright red. The capsules open to expose seeds with a coloured coating. This coating supplies annatto dye for food, cloth, and cosmetics. Cooks use the seeds as a spice and colouring. The seeds alone have little taste. They can steep them briefly in hot oil, then strain it. They also grind them with other spices to make a paste. Food makers use yellow colour from the coating in products such as margarine.

This plant needs a warm, humid climate without frost. Missouri Botanical Garden lists it for USDA zones 10–12. Give it full sun and rich soil that drains well. Keep the soil moist with a steady water supply. It can survive dry spells lasting up to four months. Even so, it grows best with rain spread through the year. In frost-free gardens, it needs little routine care. Grow it as a single specimen or an informal hedge. It tolerates hard pruning, which helps keep hedges in shape. Dried pods also suit flower arrangements.

Missouri Botanical Garden reports no major insect or disease problems. Traditional medicine uses the leaves and other parts for several ailments. These reported uses do not establish that treatments work or are safe. The sources differ in their hazard notes. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known hazards. Plants For A Future notes a seed-coat substance that acts against intestinal parasites. It also records use of seed-coat bixin as an insect repellent. These notes do not settle safety for people or pets.