Herb of the Month: Annatto (Bixa orellana)
Alternate names: Achiote, Bixia, Lipstick Tree
Description: Small, evergreen tree. Flowers are five-petaled, and are rose, pink, or white with yellow stamens. Seedpods are maroon or scarlet, spiny and heart-shaped.
Cultivation: Grown from seeds or cuttings. Seed grown plants take longer to flower than cutting-grown plants.
Culinary: Annatto is used primarily for its coloring, which varies from bright yellow to redorange. Depending on the freshness, annatto also lends a slight pungency to the dish. Commercially, it is added to various foods (most notably cheeses) to impart its color. Seeds can be ground and added to
dishes, soaked in water when whole, or heated in oil to extract the color and flavor.
Medicinal: It is used in traditional preparations for worms, lowering fever, improving digestion, and externally for treating burns.
Cosmetic: In its native South America, annatto was originally used as a face and body paint.
Sources:
http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Bixa_ore.html
Herbs & Spices for Florida Gardens by Monica Moran Brandies.
Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses by Deni Bown.
Description: Small, evergreen tree. Flowers are five-petaled, and are rose, pink, or white with yellow stamens. Seedpods are maroon or scarlet, spiny and heart-shaped.
Cultivation: Grown from seeds or cuttings. Seed grown plants take longer to flower than cutting-grown plants.
Culinary: Annatto is used primarily for its coloring, which varies from bright yellow to redorange. Depending on the freshness, annatto also lends a slight pungency to the dish. Commercially, it is added to various foods (most notably cheeses) to impart its color. Seeds can be ground and added to
dishes, soaked in water when whole, or heated in oil to extract the color and flavor.
Medicinal: It is used in traditional preparations for worms, lowering fever, improving digestion, and externally for treating burns.
Cosmetic: In its native South America, annatto was originally used as a face and body paint.
Sources:
http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Bixa_ore.html
Herbs & Spices for Florida Gardens by Monica Moran Brandies.
Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses by Deni Bown.