AgroForestryTree Database
Averrhoa carambola
 Species identityEcology and distributionPropagation and managementFunctional usesPests and diseasesAdditional InfoBibliographyImages |
Species identity
TaxonomySynonym(s)
Common names
(Creole) : blinblin long, karambola, kònichon peyi, ziblinn long
(English) : carambola, five corners, foreign peach, star fruit, star pickle
(Filipino) : balimbing
(French) : blinblin longue, carambolier, cornichon du pays
(Hindi) : kamrakh, kamranga
(Indonesian) : belimbing manis
(Khmer) : spö
(Lao (Sino-Tibetan)) : füang
(Malay) : belimbing manis
(Mandarin) : yongt’o
(Spanish) : carambola, carambold, carambole, jalea
(Swahili) : mbirimbi wa kizungu
(Thai) : ma fueang
(Vietnamese) : khê
Botanic description
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 and distribution
History of cultivationA native species of tropical Asia, A. carambola has long since spread to many tropical countries, principally as an ornamental species. The presence of a Sanskrit name, ‘karmara’ and accounts by early writers indicate that A. carambola was known in India before the time of European colonization.
Natural Habitat
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.
Geographic distribution
Native : Indonesia, Malaysia
Exotic : Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, India, Israel, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Province of China, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United States of America, Vietnam
Biophysical limitsAltitude: 0-900 m Soil type: Prefers deep, well-drained clay loams but can grow successfully on sandy soils and heavy clays.
Reproductive Biology
Heterostyly and self-incompatibility occur in A. carambola. Pollen grains are elongated or spherical; a suitable pollen viability test would be in vitro pollen germination. A. carambola is insect pollinated, the pollinators being honeybees and Diptera species. Flowering continues throughout the year and fruit is available most of the year. Seedling varieties should crop in 3-8 years, selected grafted varieties in only 1-2 years.
Propagation and management
Propagation methodsPropagation 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.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.
Germplasm Management
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.
Functional uses
ProductsFood: 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. Fuel: The wood is a suitable candidate for firewood. Timber: The soft, whitish wood is sometimes used for timber. Tannin/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. Other products: In some countries, the fruit juice is used to remove stains, for example iron rust from linen cloth.Services
Ornamental: With its delicate, light-green foliage, small, pink flowers and prolific golden-yellow fruits, A. carambola is popular in homegardens and parks.
Pests and diseasesCaterpillars (Diacotrichia, Pingasa and Pseudoterpna) attack the flowers and young leaves. A. carambola fruit suffers from fruit fly maggots, particularly Dacus dorsalis (Southeast Asia), and fruit-piercing moth (Othreis spp., Australia); bagging prevents infestation. Leaf spot (Cercospora averrhoa) and pink diseases (Corticium) affect the tree in Southeast Asia, but postharvest rots are more serious: the slightest blemish invites infection by Ceratocystis, Colletotrichum, Dothoriella and Phomopsis fungi.
Bibliography
Anon. 1986. The useful plants of India. Publications & Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi, India.Crane E, Walker P. 1984. Pollination directory for world crops. International Bee Research Association, London, UK.
FAO. 1982. Fruit-bearing forest trees: technical notes. FAO-Forestry-Paper. No. 34. 177 pp.
Hong TD, Linington S, Ellis RH. 1996. Seed storage behaviour: a compendium. Handbooks for Genebanks: No. 4. IPGRI.
Katende AB et al. 1995. Useful trees and shrubs for Uganda. Identification, Propagation and Management for Agricultural and Pastoral Communities. Regional Soil Conservation Unit (RSCU), Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA).
Nicholson B.E, Harrison S.G, Masefield G.B & Wallis M. 1969. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press.
Perry LM. 1980. Medicinal plants of East and South East Asia : attributed properties and uses. MIT Press. South East Asia.
Popenoe W. 1974. Manual of the tropical and subtropical fruits. The Macmillann Company.
Rice RP, Rice LW, Tindall HD. 1987. Fruit and vegetable production in warm climates. Macmillan Press, London.
Sedgley M, Griffin AR. 1989. Sexual reproduction of tree crops. Academic Press. London.
Tankard G. 1987. Tropical fruit. A guide to growing and using exotic fruits. Viking O’Neil.
Timyan J. 1996. Bwa Yo: important trees of Haiti. South-East Consortium for International Development. Washington D.C.
Verheij EWM, Coronel RE (eds.). 1991. Plant Resources of South East Asia No 2. Edible fruits and nuts. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden.
Williams R.O & OBE. 1949. The useful and ornamental plants in Zanzibar and Pemba. Zanzibar Protectorate.