Botanical Trajectories
Botanical Trajectories
Achiote/Annatto (Bixa Orellana)
An orange route.
It’s an ongoing research project at the Botanical Garden of Dundee linked to the Terrain Biennial Chicago- U.S.
2021-2022
Botanical gardens are the embodiment of botanical and cultural colonial histories. Botanical gardens are the compendium of trajectories and exchanges.
The Bixa Orellana, Achiote, Annatto, Rucú, Lipstick tree among other names is a tree native to the tropical regions of America from Mexico to the South including Ecuador, Colombia, Peru Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana Suriname and Guiana that currently, because of the botanical exchanges and movement since the XVII (17th) century grows in the most tropical areas of the world.
The tree in the Botanical Garden of Dundee in Scotland shares the glasshouse with other tropical plants from all over the world.
Since pre-Columbian times this tree has been important for local and native cultures of the Americas. There are as many stories as countries about the seeds of this tree.
Achiote is an important ingredient for it has been used for dying clothes, and several colours have been mixed with other colour materials to paint the codex that contains the history of Mesoamerica.
After the first European encounter with the Americas, the market trade was enriched, and the palette of the old continent was revived with a new pallet.
The achiote is one of those raw materials that still today are at the top of the trade goods.
Now, these trees are not only in the Americas but have become an introduced species to many countries.
(Investigate the map of the Invasive Species Compendium web page here ,where you will find more interesting information about the Achiote/Annatto tree.)
This tree has produced important revenues in the food colouring and cosmetic markets, as it is vegan and non-toxic. It is one the most in-demand natural colour.
In the UK the most important market for the annatto is Cheddar Cheese and Smoked Salmon.
This project is on-going project at the Botanical Gardens of the University of Dundee.