Carambola, also known as starfruit, is the fruit of Averrhoa carambola, a species of tree native to the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The fruit is a popular food throughout Southeast Asia, the South Pacific and parts of East Asia. The tree is also cultivated throughout non-indigenous tropical areas, such as in Costa Rica, Peru, Colombia, Jamaica, Trinidad, Ecuador, Guyana, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and Brazil, and, in the United States, in south Florida and Hawaii…. The fruit has ridges running down its sides (usually five); in cross-section, it resembles a star, hence its name. The number of ridges can vary
I grow plants of carambola in auckland. I have a tree outside against sunny wall of house. It flowers heavily but no fruit as it needs a pollenator. They can bear well in a greenhouse. An outdoor tree in kerikeri had a marvelous crop.
hey bernard….if you ever get fruits….i will make you the best jam/preserve….”star fruit and aniseed”…..very very nice….used to make it in vila, maldives and american samoa for our hotel breakfast buffets…..
i think they fruit all year round when conditions are right….we found a tree on the roadside in pago pago….we stopped by and asked if we could buy some….the guy said $20 for as much as we could pick!….so we did and got heaps….my boy qwenton help to climb and get them…..gee i wish i got a photo that day…..
cheers
I now have 3 dozen grafted trees and expect to have a big greenhouse for them late this year and grow fruit for sale. In Kaitaia of course.