Bixa Orellana aka Lipstick Tree

I came across this plant during one of my walks at the Gardens by the Bay. From far, the fruits looked like rambutan fruits. I was curious, so I went to have a closer look, snapped some pictures, and look them up on Google to see what this plant, and fruits were.

It's amazing what you can find out, if you take a little time and make a little effort.

Here are some information about the plant from Wikipedia.

Bixa orellana, also known as the lipstick tree, is a perennial, small tree or shrub. The tree is best known as the source of *annatto, a natural orange-red condiment (also called achiote or bijol) obtained from the waxy arils that cover its seeds. Bixa is the only genus of the Bixaceae family.

The flowers of Bixa orellana is rose-like with numerous violet-coloured stamens. The rambutan-liked fruit is densely cloaked with long bristles and splits when dry to reveal small seeds covered in a layer of waxy, bright red pulp! Squeeze the unripe seeds and the colouring would be exuded - organic and edible. Soaking the seeds releases yellow-orange and bright red pigments, used as a colouring agent for foods, fibres, and cosmetics.

The plant is also valued for its stem fibre to make rope mats and for the adhesive gum.

* Annatto is an alternative food colourant to the much more expensive saffron, turmeric, and paprika. It is used to tint butter, margarine, cheese, rice and ice creams hues of golden yellow or orange. Other uses include the dyeing of textiles or crafts, and manufacturing of cosmetics products, such as lipstick.

I guess that's where the name Lipstick Tree comes from.

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