{"id":1052,"date":"2023-12-16T13:21:30","date_gmt":"2023-12-16T05:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.org.au\/wp\/?page_id=1052"},"modified":"2024-03-05T20:32:52","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T12:32:52","slug":"averrhoa-carambola","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/fruit-trees\/averrhoa-carambola\/","title":{"rendered":"Averrhoa carambola"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Averrhoa carambola<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Carambola, star fruit<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignnormal\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-982\" style=\"width: 100%;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-90-1 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-982 ml-slider ms-theme-default nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-roledescription=\"Slideshow\" aria-label=\"Averrhoa carambola\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_982\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_982\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-984 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"slide-984\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/carambola_flower.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/carambola_flower-300x200.jpeg\" height=\"200\" width=\"300\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-982 slide-984\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-983 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"slide-983\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/carambola_fruit.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/carambola_fruit-272x181.jpeg\" height=\"200\" width=\"300\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-982 slide-983\" title=\"maturing fruit\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Origin<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>There is some contention, but it\u2019s probably native to south east Asia. Now grown in many countries such as the Phillipines, USA, Brazil, Trinidad and Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Climate<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>It is primarily a lowland tropical species but can grow well in warm sub-tropical climates with mild winters. Well distributed rainfall of 1500-3000mm pa is optimal. However mature plants can withstand some drought periods but yield will be reduced. The ideal temperature range is 21-32\u00b0C with growth ceasing below 15\u00b0C. Temperatures in excess of 30\u00b0C reduce <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3361 classtoolTips3361'>pollen<\/span> germination and hence yield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plant Description<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>A small, evergreen, slow-growing, symmetrical tree, rarely beyond 8m high. It has very dense lateral and deep roots. Leaves are <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3281 classtoolTips3281'>imparipinnate<\/span>, bronze when young and pale to dark green when mature, with 2-11 pairs of leaflets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Relatives<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Oxalidaceae Family. The most important close relative is bilimbi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Soils<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Almost any soil is satisfactory if well-drained. A pH of 5.5-6.5 is preferred but it can grow sub-optimally in alkaline soils up to pH 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Propagation<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Seeds are <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3381 classtoolTips3381'>recalcitrant<\/span> but will germinate readily if sown fresh. Seedling plants are not true to type and <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3774 classtoolTips3774'>grafting<\/span> is the main technique for producing reliable traits. Air\u2013layering is problematic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cultivars<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Cultivars commonly seen in Australia are Arkin, Kary and Fwang Tung.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Flowering and Pollination<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p><span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3288 classtoolTips3288'>Inflorescences<\/span> occur as compound <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3377 classtoolTips3377'>racemes<\/span> towards the periphery of the tree, usually from leaf <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3145 classtoolTips3145'>axils<\/span> but also occasionally from latent <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3159 classtoolTips3159'>buds<\/span> on older shoots and terminally on new shoots. The small flowers are perfect with pink <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3405 classtoolTips3405'>sepals<\/span> and a purple <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3192 classtoolTips3192'>corolla<\/span>. Plants exhibit <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3271 classtoolTips3271'>heterostyly<\/span> with some having long <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3428 classtoolTips3428'>styles<\/span> and others short. In the wet tropics flowering is almost continuous, whereas in drier environments a period of water stress acts as an inducer. Despite extensive flowering, <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3250 classtoolTips3250'>fruit set<\/span> is usually low. <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3195 classtoolTips3195'>Cross-<span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3363 classtoolTips3363'>pollination<\/span><\/span> between long and short <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3428 classtoolTips3428'>style<\/span> types can result in 3-20% fruit set, whereas self or same style type pollination may give only 0.5%. The long style types can be more self-fertile. Bees are attracted to the flower <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3676 classtoolTips3676'>nectar<\/span> and are the main pollinators, but other insects and wind also contribute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cultivation<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>They do best in full sun and young plants will need frequent watering. Mature plants will require supplemental watering during dry periods. When fruiting commences, regular fertilization will be required, increasing commensurately with tree size. In alkaline soils there may be micronutrient deficiencies which can be addressed by several foliar sprays each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Wind Tolerance<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Strong wind can result in loss of foliage and damaging fruit rub or loss, but trees may recover. Trees crop best with wind protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pruning<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Pruning to the vase shape should be undertaken with young trees to give good light penetration throughout the canopy. Narrow-angled branches should be removed as these are weak and will break under fruit load or other stress. Trees should be maintained at a maximum of 2.5-3m height for ease of harvesting and spraying, Depending on the degree of fruit set, flower and fruit <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3443 classtoolTips3443'>thinning<\/span> may be necessary to increase fruit size and prevent branches breaking. The tree can also be <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_4107 classtoolTips4107'>espaliered<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Fruit<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>It is a delicate <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3285 classtoolTips3285'>indehiscent<\/span> <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3148 classtoolTips3148'>berry<\/span> with thin waxy skin, 5-10cm long and 3-6cm across, with 5-6 acute ridges running longitudinally. Cross-section slices have a star shape. Skin colour changes from green to yellow-orange when ripe. The yellow flesh is tart\/acid to very sweet depending on <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3457 classtoolTips3457'>variety<\/span> and contains 3-15 small seeds. It has reasonable levels of vitamin C and <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_4051 classtoolTips4051'>Brix<\/span> of 6-18%; ripening results in decreased acidity and increased sugar levels. Oxalic acid content is about half that in spinach and the newer sweeter cvs have even lower levels. Although skin colour may change after picking, the fruit does not ripen further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fruit Production and Harvesting<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Seedlings may not flower for 4-6 years whereas for <span class='tooltipsall tooltip_post_id_3774 classtoolTips3774'>grafted<\/span> plants it may be only 1 year. Fruit harvest is from late summer through to late winter in sub-tropical climates. The home grower should wait till fruit are fully ripe before picking for best flavour. Storage life of fully ripe fruit may be only a few days at room temperature but in a crisper they may last 3-4 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fruit Uses<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually eaten fresh or in salads, but also in processed forms. The acid levels provide reasonable protection to browning when cut. Green fruit are also consumed as a vegetable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pests and Diseases<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>These include fruit flies, moths, mealy bugs, scale and anthracnose in humid environments. Birds can also cause problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Comments<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t cursorily judge carambola by the sour, prematurely-picked fruit sold by supermarkets. Fully tree-ripened fruit of good, sweet cvs are much better. Well-managed mature trees in ideal climates can be very productive, with yields up to 400kg\/tree if not properly and sufficiently thinned. Arkin and Kary are long-styled and more likely to have reasonable self-fertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A word of caution: some people may have a bad reaction when they eat carambolas, especially those with renal failure or on dialysis. If they are new to you, try them with caution until you know how you will react.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Averrhoa carambola Carambola, star fruit Origin There is some contention, but it\u2019s probably native to south east Asia. Now grown in many countries such as the Phillipines, USA, Brazil, Trinidad and Australia. Climate It is primarily a lowland tropical species but can grow well in warm sub-tropical climates with mild winters. Well distributed rainfall of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":15,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"iawp_total_views":155,"footnotes":""},"folder":[94],"class_list":["post-1052","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1052"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3986,"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1052\/revisions\/3986"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rarefruitclub.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/folder?post=1052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}