Bitterroot Restoration

Order: Malvales
Family: Bixaceae

Common name: Latkan, Utkana(Beng.); Annato tree, Chinese dye tree, Monkey turmeric(Eng.).
Edible Parts: Seed
Light: Full sunlight
Native Range: Native to the tropical American area, Bixa orellana is found in largest quantities from Mexico to Ecuador, Brazil, and  Bolivia.

Bixa orellana is a shrub or small tree from the tropical region of the American continent. The name derives from the Nahuatl word for the shrub, achiotl. It is also known as Aploppas, and its original Tupi name urucu. It is cultivated there and in Southeast Asia. Bixa orellana  is a shrub or bushy tree which ranges from 3 to 10 meters in height.  Its glossy, ovate leaves are evergreen with reddish veins; they have a round, heart-shaped base and a pointed tip. With a thin, long stem, the leaves are between 8 and 20 cm long and 5 and 14 cm wide.  Bixa’s flowers are pink, white, or some combination, and are 4 to 6 cm in diameter.  From the flower protrudes a striking two-valved fruit, covered either with dense soft bristles or a smooth surface. These round fruits, approximately 4 cm wide, appear in a variety of colors: scarlet, yellow, brownish-green, maroon, and most commonly bright red.