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BIXA ORELLANA - THE LIPSTICK FLOWERING PLANT OF BELIZE

3/30/2012

1 Comment

 
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CHRISTINA'S "FLOWERS OF BELIZE" SERIES (Part Eleven)

Brought to you by Black Orchid Management

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Bixa orellana, also known as the Lipstick tree

Bixa orellana are well known for its seeds (which produce a red dye) and is often used as a spice or as food coloring.  Because of it predominate red color, it is  used in world famous Jamaican beef patties.

It is a small tree which bears pink, white, or purple-tinted flowers. The name Bixa orellana is derived from Francisco de Orellana, a 16th century Spanish explorer.

Bixa is known in Belize as the "lipstick tree" because Central and South American Natives used the seeds to color their bodies and lips. Red coloring on outside of seeds easily dyes bare skin. Several washings with soap are required before color can be removed.

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. The twigs are covered with rust colored scales when young and bare when older. 

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.

When ripe, they split open and reveal a numerous amount of small, fleshy seeds, about 5 mm in diameter and covered with red-orange pulp, the embryo of which is poisonous.


1 Comment
plant red flowers link
10/8/2012 04:54:39 pm

I don't understand...you must be in a MUCH warmer climate than here in southwest Missouri or midwest Kansas where I lived until 2003. Both places, "the coldest day" would freeze any flower that tried to even thinking about showing up, to a dead frozen thing! & Long before December! It's true, this past winter it never got very cold here but that is not normal weather at all. & the terrible drought we were in most of what plants I did have. This is a lovely article, but where in the world...literally! does it apply?

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    Christina

    Hi, my name is Christina.  I've been living in Belize, for about 11 years now.  Hope you enjoy reading my various blog posts.

    FLOWERS OF BELIZE!
    Check out, my my current blog series on Flowers in Belize.
    COMING SOON!
    I have a new blog series coming soon.  Trees of Belize. 
    IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR THIS SERIES WITH YOUR COMPANY'S ADVERTISEMENT, ......
    Please let me know.

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