Bixa orellana

Bixa orellana

Know our Plant

Systematic Classification:

Division   : Angiospermae 
Class      : Dicotyledons
Order      : Malvales
Family     : Bixaceae
Genus      : Bixa
Species    : orellana

Common Name:

Lipstick tree

General Information:

Bixa orellana is a shrub native to a region between northern South America and Mexico. Bixa orellana is grown in many countries worldwide. Bixa orellana is a perennial, tall shrub that can reach 6–10 m (20–33 ft) high.It bears clusters of 5 cm (2 in) bright white or pink flowers, resembling single wild roses, that appear at the tips of the branches. The fruits of the Bixa orellana are globular, ovoid capsules arranged in clusters resembling spiky looking red-brown seed pods covered in soft spines.Each capsule, or pod, contains 30-45 cone shaped seeds covered in a thin waxy blood-red aril.When fully mature, the pod dries, hardens, and splits open, exposing the seeds. The shrub is most well known as the source of the red-orange, annatto pigment. The pigment is derived from the pericarp (the waxy aril layer that covers the seeds) of the Bixa orellana fruit.The red-orange annatto dye is rich in the carotenoid pigments, 80% which consists of bixin (the red pigment) and norbixin or orelline (the yellow pigment).

Economic Importance:

  • One major traditional use of the Bixa orellana plant was for body, face, and hair paint among various tribes and ancient civilizations either for decorative purposes or as omens to ward off evil spirits and illnesses.
  • The tree has been used in Ayurveda, the folk medicine practices of India, where different parts of the plant are thought to be useful as therapy.
  • The plant is valued for its stem fiber to make rope mats and for the adhesive gum.
  • Industrial Use: Before synthetic dyes revolutionized industry, Bixa orellana was planted commercially for its pigment, extracted from the pericarp of the seeds first by grinding the seeds and then extracting the pigment through use of enzymes, solvents or oil. Solvents include alkaline solutions like sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, as well as organic solvents including hexane, acetone, chloroform and ethanol. Extractions using organic solvent yield the annatto pigment.