Bixaceae FAMILY
Bixa arborea
Bixa arborea
Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
1/5
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
HabitEvergreen Tree
GrowthMedium
Succeeds in full sun to moderate shade[1]. Grows best in a deep, fertile, moist soil[1]. A moderately fast-growing tree, easily able to reach a height of 2 metres or more within 2 years from seed[1].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A high germination rate can usually be expected, with the seed sprouting within 14 - 21 days[1]. When the seedlings are 4 - 5cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out 4 - 5 months later[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-19. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Bixa+arborea>
Pollinators
Data unavailable
References
- [1]Brazilian Trees. Volume 2. 4th Edition. — Lorenzi. H. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. · 2002 · ISBN 85-86714-15-1 ↩︎Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
- [2]Flora of Peru — Macbride. J.F. · Field Museum of Natural History · 1936 ↩︎An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
- [3]Cornucopia II — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications, California. · 1998 · ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 ↩︎The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
- [4]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.