Tropical fruits: Star fruit

Star fruits get their name from their shape, which is like a 5-pointed star. This page provides some basic information and some photos of star fruit (carambola).

Scientific name:	Averrhoa carambola L.
Family:	Oxalidaceae
Order:	Oxalidales
Common names:	Starfruit, Carambola
Origin:	Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia
Distribution:	Southeast Asia and Malaysia, Caribbean islands, Central America, tropical South America, tropical West Africa, Zanzibar, southern China, Taiwan, India, Philippines, Australia, Tahiti, Hawaii, etc.
Evergreen or deciduous:	Deciduous
Flowers:	The fragrant flowers have a pink color and are about 1 cm in diameter. Flowers are borne in clusters in axils of leaves on young branches, or they grow on older branches without leaves. The trees bloom several times throughout the year.
Leaves:	The leaves are spirally arranged and 15 to 25 cm long. Leaves have 5 to 11 nearly opposite, ovate-oblong leaflets. These leaflets are 4 to 8 centimeter long. The leaves are soft, medium-green, and smooth on the upper surface. The underside is faintly hairy with a whitish color. The leaflets are sensitive to light and usually fold together at night or when the tree is disturbed.
Fruits:	Carambola fruits are ovate to ellipsoid in shape. They are 6 to 13 cm long and the fruits have 5 (sometimes 4 or 6) longitudinal ribs. The fruit has a golden-yellow to green color. When cut across it shows a 5-pointed star shape, which is why it is also called "star fruit". The crunchy fruits have a slightly tart, acidic, sweet taste. The fruit starts out with a green color. As it ripens the color turns to yellow. The fruit cab be eaten in both the green and yellow stages.
Climate and weather:	Tropical and sub-tropical climates
Height:	5 - 9 meter
Crwon:	The carambola tree has a much-branched, bushy, broad, rounded crown.
Type of soil:	Prefers rich loam, but also grows well on sand, heavy clay or limestone. It cannot stand flooding and needs good drainage.
Growth rate:	Slow growing tree.
Spacing (close range)	6 meter
Spacing (wide range)	9 meter
Propagation:	Grown from seed.
Insect pests:	Fruit flies, Fruit moths, Fruit spotting bugs
Diseases:	No major diseases
Harvesting:	Fruits fall to the ground when fully ripe. Hand pick the fruits when mature (pale green with a touch of yellow).
Uses:	Fruits are eaten fresh or are used to make juice.