This shrub or small tree is Achiote, Bixa orellana. You may also hear it called Annatto or the Lipstick Tree. It is native to the tropical Americas, from Mexico through Central America and into much of South America, but it is now cultivated throughout the tropics.

The first thing to notice is its broad, heart-shaped leaves. When the plant flowers, it produces delicate pink or sometimes nearly white blossoms, each with a prominent cluster of yellow stamens in the center. The flowers are attractive, but the fruits that follow are even more distinctive.

The seed pods are rounded or heart-shaped and covered with soft, flexible spines. As they mature, they change from green to reddish or brown and eventually split open. Inside are numerous seeds coated with a vivid orange-red substance.

That pigment is the reason this plant has been valued for centuries. It is known as annatto and has traditionally been used as a body paint, fabric dye, cosmetic and food coloring. Today it is still used commercially to give yellow, orange or reddish color to foods such as cheese, butter, rice, seasonings and some prepared meats.

In Caribbean and Latin American cooking, the seeds may also be used to add color and a mild, earthy flavor to food. The pigment can stain your fingers very easily, which helps explain the name “Lipstick Tree.”

Achiote is therefore more than an ornamental plant. Its flowers attract attention, its unusual pods make it easy to recognize, and its seeds connect the plant with centuries of cooking, coloring and cultural tradition.