Annatto, Arnato, Chinese Dye Tree, Lipstick Tree, Monkey Turmeric, Roucou, Saffron Tree
The tree is native to South America. The scientific name of this small tree is Bixa orellana, while the common name is lipstick plant. Both annatto and achiote are terms used in the Caribbean to refer to the tree’s unusual seeds or the plant itself.
Bixa orellana is a shrub or a small tree 6-20 feet in height, found throughout the hotter parts of India. Leaves 10-20c, * 6.5-12.5cm, cordate, acuminate, glabrous, petiole slender; flowers are showy pink or white in terminal panicles; having 5petals, and a dense mass of stamens at the center. Capsules red or green in colour, 3.8cm long, ovoid or subglobose, softly prickly; seeds trigonous, with red pulpy testa. Fruit is 2valved, ovoid red, spiny. Approximately 50 seeeds are there in one pod. It is native to Tropical America, but now widely cultivated throughout the tropical world. Flowering occurs in October-December. From its seeds yellow-orange dye is obtained. Which is obtained by the processing of seeds as they have orange-yellow pigment , bixin and norbixing. The dye is used for the colouring of rice.
SOWING ADVICE
These seeds should be sown into a well-drained, sandy compost at any time of the year, and covered thinly with sand or grit and kept moist. Keep at between 20-25 degrees C. Seeds sometimes germinate within 4 to 6 weeks although some may take very much longer so please be patient. Plant out in the open ground in warmer countries or in a large container elsewhere.
40,000-60,000 seeds/kg