Orleans (Bixa orellana) 5 grains

Common name: Bixa orellana - Annatto, Orleans tree

Large shrub or small tree. Ovate, bright green leaves with leathery margins. Pink or pinkish white flowers open in a cluster. Its reddish-brown spiny spikelets remain on the plant even after the seeds have dropped. The seeds of the spikelet are widely cultivated. It is commonly used as a spice or as a food dye because of its bright red colour.
It is not frost tolerant.

BIXA
A genus of one species, the namesake of the orleans family (Bixaceae). A low tree native to the tropics of South America, it is cultivated as an ornamental plant and for the orange-red colour extracted from its seeds, an important industrial and food dye. It has a red, spiny spikelet fruit.
Cultivation:
In its native habitat, it lives in humid, moist, warm tropical conditions. It can also be grown in protected areas in the warmer climates of the temperate zone. It requires plenty of moisture all year round, can be grown in well-drained, moderately nutritious conditions in sunny to semi-shady areas.