Achiote (Bixa orellana), or lipstick plant, is a small tree from the American tropics. North, Central and South American natives originally used the seeds to make red body paint, lipstick, and a spice. It is the source of annatto, a natural orange-red condiment (also called "achiote" or "bijol") obtained from the waxy arils that cover its seeds. The ground seeds are used in traditional dishes in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, such as cochinita pibil, chicken in achiote, and caldo de olla. Annatto extracts are used for yellow or orange industrial food coloring for butter, cheese, sausages, cakes and popcorn. Photographed in Allerton Garden on the south shore of Kauai, Hawaii, USA. Nestled in a valley transected by the Lawai Stream ending in Lawai Bay, Allerton Garden is one of five gardens of the non-profit National Tropical Botanical Garden (ntbg.org).
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