Agroforestree Database

Local names:
 Creole (blinblin long,ziblinn long,karambola,kònichon peyi), English (foreign peach,carambola,five corners,star pickle,star fruit), Filipino (balimbing), French (cornichon du pays,blinblin longue,carambolier,Carambolier vrai), German (Karambolaßaum), Hin

Averrhoa carambola is a small, evergreen, multistemmed tree 3-5 m high or rarely 10 m high, attaining 15 cm diameter at the base; bark light brown, smooth or finely fissured.

Leaves alternate, pinnate, 15-25 cm long, disposed more or less in a horizontal plane, shortly petiolate with 7-9 pendant leaflets; leaves have the peculiarity of being sensitive to touch in the same way as certain Mimosa species.

Inflorescence in panicles 2-5 cm long in the axils of old leaves; flowers pentamerous, with a calyx of 5 pink sepals surrounding the purple corolla; androecium contains 5 fertile stamens and 5 staminoids; gynoecium bears 5 slender united styles.

Fruit a large, indehiscent berry, 5-8 cm long; with a characteristic shape in cross-section resembling a 5-pointed star; yellowish-green, becoming orange-yellow when ripe. Each cell of the fruit contains 5 arillate seeds.

The generic name is after Averrhoes (1126-98), the widely known Arab Philosopher. The specific name, ‘carambola’, is said to have come from Malabar and was adopted early by the Portuguese.

Ecology

Grows best in the hot, humid tropics but will tolerate some cool weather. Young plants may be killed or badly damaged by frost, while mature specimens can withstand temperatures as low as -3 deg. C for short periods, with some damage to branches and leaves. They can also tolerate dry periods and some wind if it is not too cold.

Native range
Indonesia, Malaysia

Tree management

When young, A. carambola is delicate and requires careful attention. Because it is a fast-growing tree, it requires pruning and thinning of excess fruit at an early stage. Good crops are harvested from grafted varieties when they are 2-3 years old. Yields of up to 900 kg/year are common for 10-year-old trees.

Seed storage behaviour is intermediate. The lowest safe mc is 12.3%; further desiccation reduces viability. Cool temperatures damage the seeds. Viability can be maintained for 6 months with partially dried seeds at 5 deg. C. There are approximately 15 000 seeds/kg.

Grows best in the hot, humid tropics but will tolerate some cool weather. Young plants may be killed or badly damaged by frost, while mature specimens can withstand temperatures as low as -3 deg. C for short periods, with some damage to branches and leaves. They can also tolerate dry periods and some wind if it is not too cold.

Propagation is by seed, budding and grafting onto seedling rootstocks, or air-layering. The seedlings are transplanted into polythene bags, and after 6-12 months in the nursery are planted out at a spacing of 4 x 6 m.

  Fruits are refreshing eaten fresh, mixed with other fruits, in salads, or processed into drinks. They are also stewed, pickled or used for chutney and jam. The fruit flavour is enhanced by peeling off the ‘wing’ edges, which removes most of the oxalic acid. Because the fruit is extremely perishable it must be consumed locally. Some Brazilian cultivars have a very high content of vitamin C as well as an applicable amount of provitamin A.

The wood is a suitable candidate for firewood.

Timber:  The soft, whitish wood is sometimes used for timber.

Tannin or dyestuff:  Unripe fruit of A. carambola contains potassium oxalate, which is used in dyeing.

Medicine:  Fruit can be a laxative on account of the oxalic acid it contains. It is also used in traditional medicine for skin disorders and fevers.

Ornamental: With its delicate, light-green foliage, small, pink flowers and prolific golden-yellow fruits, A. carambola is popular in homegardens and parks.