When cut, the fruit is star-shaped. The carambola fruit contains a huge amount of organic acids. It is also rich in vitamins C, B1, B2 and B5, calcium, phosphorus and iron.
The fruits are used in the preparation of second courses, salads and desserts, salted and pickled. In Asia, flowers are used in folk medicine.
What it is?
The Latin name for carambola is Averrhoa carambola... Trees in the wild reach a height of 5 m... They have a very dense crown with opposite oval, slightly pointed leaves.
Leaves soft and smooth to the touch dark green. They are very sensitive, love sunlight, so they get together at night.
A photo
In the pictures you can see how this fruit grows.
Home care
At home, there is also the opportunity to grow carambola.
After the purchase
After purchasing a carambola seedling, it needs to be provided with comfortable conditions.
Pot established in the place of permanent growth. The place should be sunny, but it is best to avoid direct sunlight. Within 10-14 days, he will get used to the new place. After which the seedling can be transplanted into a container with new soil.
Watering
In the summer months it needs abundant watering. In winter, reduce the amount of moisture. The tree does not like excessive soil moisture.
It is worth making sure that there is no stagnation of water in the sump. Due to excessive watering, soil acidification and rotting of the root system will occur.
Drying out of the soil also worth avoiding. Lack of moisture will affect the appearance of the plant. The leaves will lose their shine, fade and fall off. With a constant lack of moisture, the plant will die.
Since carambola comes from the tropics, it needs high humidity. Spraying foliage should be done 3-4 times a week.
Bloom
After 3-4 years the tree begins to bloom, the first fruits appear.
Female and male flowers bloom on the tree.
They are mostly self-pollinating, some varieties require artificial pollination.
The tree may bloom up to several times a year... Fruit ripening occurs in September or October.
Crown formation
Crown of carambola periodically needs pruning... This is done to give the tree a decorative look. When pruning excess branches, side shoots appear, the crown becomes thicker.
Dried twigs are also periodically removed.
Soil, soil
The soil for planting needs light, with good air permeability. For this, the prepared soil is mixed with vermiculite in equal parts.
Planting and transplanting
Young tree carambola is transplanted annually in spring, at the end of April.
An older tree does not need frequent replanting, only as needed.
Reproduction
The easiest way to reproduce is cuttings... For this, a branch is cut off and placed in a vessel with water until the roots appear. After their appearance, the cutting is planted in a separate container. Drainage must be laid at the bottom.
Another way to reproduce is seeds... They are sown in February in peat land or moss. Seeds must be taken fresh, stale ones will not sprout. The sown seeds are covered with foil.
Growing
For good plant growth feeds during the spring and summer months... For feeding, a complex fertilizer is purchased in a specialized store.
To avoid overdose, you must strictly follow the instructions. Since oversaturation with fertilizers can adversely affect the condition of the plant.
Carambola - light-loving plant... For proper development, a pot with a tree is placed in a well-lit place.
For permanent growth, windows facing east are suitable. In the morning hours, the tree will receive a sufficient portion of sunlight, and the midday rays will not burn the delicate foliage.
Temperature
Most comfortable will be at a temperature of 22-27 degrees in the summer months. During the winter months, the plant should not be hypothermic. The mark on the thermometer should not drop below 17 degrees.
Diseases and pests
Excessive moisture or stagnant water soil acidification and root rot may occur.
For the same reason, fungal infections occur. A tree can only be saved by replanting it in new soil.
Of pests the most common are the nematode and fruit fly. To combat pests in the store, you need to buy pesticides, process the plant. When processing, you should follow the safety rules.
Carambola is fairly easy to grow at home.
Benefit and harm
Most often, the fruits are removed from the tree unripe. But the most useful properties are freshly picked ripe fruits carambola.
Vitamin C strengthens the body, B1 - heals the nervous system, B2 - strengthens nails and hair, makes the skin radiant.
Using carambola (fruits, flowers and leaves). Fruit used in folk medicine. For example, a decoction is used to treat fever and headache.
Flowers are used as a hemostatic agent. Decoctions and tinctures are used as diuretics and for the treatment of infectious diseases.
In different countries, the fruit is used to treat hemorrhoids, vomiting, pain relief, and even to relieve a hangover. Candied and dried fruits are used as a choleretic agent.
Leaves treat skin conditions such as versicolor and smallpox. A decoction from the roots is used for intoxication. And the seeds are used as a sedative. Fruits have the ability to lower blood pressure and normalize blood sugar.
Since the fruit is rich in acids, it is contraindicated for people suffering from gastric ailments. These include acidity, gastritis, ulcers.
Indications and contraindications
- Due to the extensive presence of B vitamins in fruits, carambola is used as a normalizer of work nervous system, digestive organs and thyroid gland, a stimulator of hormone production and improve blood composition.
- A large amount of ascorbic acid in carambola causes, when used, the strengthening of the body's immunity, the mobilization of defense systems.
- The healers of the Asian regions where this fruit grows, recommend it as a treatment for:
- headache,
- hemorrhoids, diarrhea,
- hypertension,
- smallpox and skin diseases.
- Also used for the preparation of diuretics and antiemetic drugs, antidotes for poisoning.
Contraindications This fruit is based on the fact that it has a high content of oxalic acid. Therefore, the use of carambola should be limited in cases:
- acute gastritis and stomach ulcers,
- enterocolitis,
- duodenal ulcers,
- the presence of renal pathologies.
Important! In cases of excessive use of carambola, intoxication is likely, the signs of which will be: vomiting, general weakness, numbness and insomnia. It should be remembered that eating any fruit should be reasonable.
How to understand that it is ripe? How to choose?
By visual indicators of maturity, carambola is similar to a banana. An unripe fruit will have a greenish tint, it is harder to the touch, and the ribs are clearly separated. When fully ripe, carambola is softer, the ribs are fleshy and yellow, sometimes with a brown stripe around the edges. The ripe fruit tastes sweetish-sour and watery. In an unripe taste, there is more acid and it looks more like a vegetable than a fruit.
The question of choice for yourself, accordingly, lies in your taste preferences. If you prefer a sweet fruit, then you should take a fully ripe carambola. If "sourness" is preferable, then you can opt for slightly unripe.
How is carambola eaten?
Carambola is an exotic fruit with a very wide range of flavors. Therefore, its use in cooking is very extensive:
- As an independent dessert, raw; for ice cream - with syrup or jam.
- For making marmalade, jelly or puddings.
- The unripe fruit is used as a pickled, pickled or stewed vegetable.
- Sliced \u200b\u200band fried in oil - as an addition to meat and fish dishes.
- Due to its watery composition, the crushed fruit is great for adding to the sauce.
- Juice is an ingredient in many pineapple or orange juice cocktails, adding to the flavor.
She will bring not only exotic to the house. Its fruits are rich in vitamins and organic acids. In addition, ripe fruits can be eaten raw, as well as decorated with salads and cocktails.
There is even more information about carambola in the following videos.
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Carambola is exotic fruit originally from Asia. Its unusual taste and appearance have made it popular in cooking. It is used as a decoration, as an addition to other products, and also as an independent dish. Carambola is a dietary product with a huge amount of nutrients. But you should use it carefully, because it is not suitable for everyone.
"Tropical Star"
The carambola plant comes from South and Southeast Asia. Traditionally, it is found in Indonesia, India, Thailand and Sri Lanka, but today it is spread even on other continents. The unusual fruit was not ignored. Once he was brought to Israel, Brazil, USA, Ghana, French Polynesia and Guiana, where he feels great in tropical and subtropical climates.
Carambola is a heat-loving plant with an unusual sweet and sour taste. In the context of its fruits resemble a star, therefore the fruit is called "starfruit" or "tropical star". Its taste has been compared to gooseberry, plum, grape, apple, and sometimes all together. In our shops, the fruit is usually more acidic than in the places where it is grown. This is not surprising, because they pluck it slightly under-ripe so that it does not deteriorate on the road.
Appearance
By origin, carambola is a plant of the oxalis family of the genus Averroa. It is a tree or bush with a height of 5 to 12 centimeters. Carambola is an evergreen plant and never sheds its foliage. In tropical regions, it bears fruit all year round, in the subtropics it ripens only in a certain season. In Thailand, for example, the fruit ripens from May to August.
The carambola tree has a dense bushy crown and leaves hanging down. Lilac or pink flowers are bell-shaped and decorated with five petals with white edging. Flowers are collected in a cluster inflorescence.
Carambola leaves are pinnate and similar in structure to acacia leaves. Each of them grows up to 20 centimeters in length and consists of 5-11 leaves up to 9 centimeters long. All, except for the last, leaves are located opposite each other. On the front side, they are colored in a medium saturation green hue, and on the bottom they have a pale light green color. Carambola leaves are sensitive to light and close at night. In the same way, they react to sharp shocks in strong winds or when touched by hands.
Glossy carambola fruits are yellow-green or yellow-brown in color. They have an elongated oval shape and several ribs, which give the fruit a star-shaped cut. The fruits are usually crispy and very juicy, making them excellent thirst quenchers.
Beneficial features
It is considered a dietary fruit. Unlike bananas or grapes, which have more than 70 calories, there are only 31 calories in one hundred grams of carambola. Despite this, it contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. The pulp of ripe carambola is rich in magnesium, calcium, copper, vitamin A, and B vitamins. Approximately 90 g of the fruit contains 1 g of protein, about 3 g of carbohydrates and half the daily value of vitamin C.
Carambola also contains many organic acids, although the effect of many of them has not yet been fully understood. The quercetin in it is thought to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The tropical fruit also contains a small amount (12 mcg) folic acids, or vitamin B 9. It participates in important processes in the body: hematopoiesis, recovery reactions, strengthening immunity, maintaining the functions of the liver and intestines.
Carambola peel is made up of fiber and is also beneficial. Its fibers aid digestion by improving bowel function. They reduce the absorption of harmful cholesterol and protect the gastrointestinal mucosa from the penetration of toxins.
Scientists have not carried out specific studies on the benefits of carambola, but the local population of the Asian countries where it is grown are confident in its beneficial effects on the body. In folk medicine, it is used against rashes, headaches, gallbladder diseases and hemorrhoids. A decoction from the leaves of the plant is used as an anti-inflammatory and antiemetic agent. The high content of vitamin C in it contributes to the fact that carambola fights well with hangover, eliminating the severe consequences of alcohol.
In folk medicine, the flowers of the tropical star are considered anthelmintic, and the crushed roots and leaves are used against skin diseases. Carambola seeds have also been used - they are used to make a powder that has a sedative effect.
Fruit harm
In addition to ascorbic and folic acids, carambola is rich in oxalic acid. Because of this, the fruit is contraindicated for people with a tendency to gastritis, enterocolitis, stomach and intestinal ulcers. Regular consumption of karambola in large quantities leads to kidney problems and impaired salt metabolism in the body.
Cooking use
In the kitchen, carambola is an almost universal product that is suitable for both desserts and more serious dishes. Not only fruits are considered edible, but also other parts of the plant. For example, in India, salads are prepared from the leaves of the fruit.
Carambola juice is drunk freshly squeezed into jelly and sherbet. Its stars are a common decoration for cocktails, fruit salads, ice cream or baked goods. Fresh raw fruit is suitable for sauces, while lightly boiled fruit is used for preserves, puddings and marmalade.
Unripe carambola fruits differ significantly in taste and resemble a vegetable crop, not a fruit. Everywhere they are stewed, boiled, baked and served with fish, meat or cereals. In China, I stuff fish with starfruit, in Thailand they add it to seafood or stew with spices and other fruits. The versatile and healthy carambola is even suitable for pickling in brine.
How to choose a fruit?
As mentioned above, the taste of carambola is different, depending on its ripeness. When fully ripe, the fruit will be slightly soft but still firm. Its ribs are fleshy and swollen with a dark brown stripe. The fruit itself has a rich dark yellow hue, sweet taste and light jasmine aroma.
Green carambola fruit will be much harder, and its shade will be closer to green. Unripe fruit tastes sour and tart. Many people love carambola just like this, so special varieties were bred that retain the acidity even in a ripe fruit. Among them, the most famous are the "golden star", "newcomer", "star king". The sweet varieties are demak, maha, and fuang dong.
Like persimmons or kiwi, carambola can ripen even after being plucked from the tree. To do this, it should be kept at room temperature. Ripe fruit is best kept in the refrigerator, where it will last another two weeks.
Own carambola in the country
This tropical fruit is not found on plantations in temperate latitudes. It is brought to us mainly from India and Thailand. But you can grow it yourself, directly from the seeds of a fruit purchased in a store. The only disadvantage of such an enterprise is that it is impossible to guess which (sour or sweet) fruits of a home tree will be.
To grow carambola at home, you need a well-ripened fruit without damage or visible defects. You need to pull out the seeds carefully, being careful not to damage them while cutting the fruit. They quickly lose their germination, so you should not postpone planting. To increase the chances and speed up the process, they are soaked in settled water at room temperature, and after 12 hours they are sown in the ground.
In the tropics, the soil is well-drained and air-permeable; at home, the plant needs to provide similar conditions. The air temperature should also be relatively high, and not fall below 25 degrees. Given this, carambola should be planted in the summer.
Exotic care
As a houseplant, carambola is not too whimsical. She loves moderate heat and moisture, easily withstands shade. It is not worth pouring over or, conversely, overdrying it. It is fertilized several times a year so that the plant receives the necessary nutrients.
Since carambola is exotic for our area, it has very few natural pests. The main enemies of the plant are fruit flies, nematodes and anthracosis fungus. In nature, a tree lives in a humid environment, so it is periodically sprayed with water. Under excessively arid conditions, evergreen carambola turns yellow and sheds foliage.
Carambola, or carambola (lat.Averrhoa carambola) is a plant from the Oxalidaceae family. It grows as an evergreen tree and produces juicy yellow-green fruits that resemble a five-pointed star in cross-section. For such an unusual shape, they are often called in the English manner Star Fruit.
They have a refreshing sweet and sour taste and are excellent thirst quenchers. In the cuisines of the countries of Southeast Asia, they are widely used for decorating desserts, making fruit juices and cocktails.
The unripe fruit carom is used as a common vegetable. It is added to various stews, cooked along with fish and meat. It is significantly sweeter and more aromatic than the fruit of the cucumber tree (Averrhoa bilimbi), and also has a more ribbed structure.
Spread
Under natural conditions, starfruit grows in Indonesia and Malaysia. From there he traveled to India, Thailand, China and Sri Lanka.
In the first half of the twentieth century, it began to be grown in many countries of the tropical and subtropical zones.
Currently, there are large plantations in Ghana (Africa), French Polynesia (Oceania), Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil and Guyana. In the United States, carom is cultivated in Florida and Hawaii, and in Europe in southern Spain.
It grows best in warm lowlands at altitudes up to 600 m above sea level. It takes root best in areas with easily permeable soil and an average annual temperature of 26 ° -28 ° C.
Morphological features
In the open air, the tree grows up to 5-10 m in height, up to a maximum of 25 m. The crown is dense and spherical. Unlike most tropical plants, carambola does not require a lot of light and likes shaded areas more.
Complex acacia leaves have a spiral-symmetric arrangement and consist of 7-15 ovoid leaves 5-8 cm long, 2-3 cm wide and about 2 mm thick. The length of the leaves can reach 40-50 cm.
Simple inflorescences (brushes) are formed by 12-20 small red or pink flowers about 8 mm in diameter. White, purple or purple spots are visible in the center of the petals.
The fruit is a berry 8-12 cm long and 5-6 cm in diameter. It has an elongated elliptical shape with 5 ribs and grooves. The yellow flesh has a sweet taste with a characteristic acidity. Inside it are seeds, outwardly they are very similar to pumpkin seeds.
How to grow carambola at home
When growing this tropical plant at home, it must be remembered that it grows up to 3 m in height, requires a high environmental humidity of about 70% and is extremely susceptible to drafts. It should be placed in a well-lit and warm place, in summer it can be taken out to the balcony or garden.
As a substrate, you can use peat soil with a small addition of compost and clay.
Clay helps to keep soil moisture longer. A drainage layer of pebbles or expanded clay is placed on the bottom of the pot.
Watering is carried out daily. The earth ball should be constantly moist, but not wet. Excess moisture must be regularly removed from the pallet. Excessive waterlogging and drying out of the soil negatively affects the health of carambola. It does not tolerate excess calcium, so the water must be filtered and defended before watering. The use of rainwater is optimal.
Fertilizer is applied every 2 weeks from early spring to late summer. Instead of ready-made inorganic dressings, you can use coffee grounds, dormant tea, or compost.
It is recommended to transplant in February or March. It is produced by transferring it into a larger pot, after having abundantly watered the root system. It is better to replant when the roots become visible on the surface layer.
Starfish usually begins to bloom in the third year. Flowers are pollinated by insects or by hand with a brush. After successful pollination, the fruits ripen in mid-autumn.
Reproduction
Carambola reproduces well by seeds, but they must be planted as quickly as possible after extraction from the fruit. Only large seeds should be taken, small ones have very low germination.
First of all, carefully remove the remnants of the pulp. The cleaned seeds are placed on the prepared substrate and lightly sprinkled with soil on top. After moderate watering, cover the container with a glass jar or transparent cling film.
The pot is placed in a lighted and warm place. In winter, additional lighting and heating must be turned on.
The temperature is maintained at least 25 ° C.
The sprouts usually appear in two weeks. It is advisable to handle them very carefully. It is possible to transplant into a more spacious container only when they grow at least 15 cm.
Fortified plants should not be exposed even to short-term hypothermia below 3 ° C. Already at 12 ° C, they begin to massively shed their leaves. In winter, they should be kept at room temperature; fertilizers should not be applied.
The tree does not need regular pruning. If necessary, the formation of the crown is carried out in March.
Useful and harmful properties of carambola
Ripe carambola contains 90% water, about 9.38% carbohydrates, 0.38% protein and 0.08% fat. It is high in iron, calcium, vitamins A and B.
IN chinese medicine its pulp is used to heal wounds, and the juice is used as an antipyretic agent. The fruits retain their beneficial features within 3 weeks when stored in the refrigerator.
Decoctions of leaves and flowers are effective for diarrhea, are considered an anti-inflammatory and choleretic agent, and contribute to the removal of toxic substances from the body.
The increased content of oxalic acid and calcium contributes to the formation of kidney stones. In patients with renal failure, weakness throughout the body, convulsions, dizziness, vomiting, hiccups, loss of consciousness and sensitivity of the limbs may appear.
Similar symptoms of poisoning are also manifested in severe diseases of the liver and digestive system.
Carambola
not so long ago appeared on the shelves of our stores, although it is widely used in cooking in many countries of the world. This exotic fruit attracts with its shapes, and if you cut this fruit, you get beautiful pieces that resemble small stars. It is worth noting that carambola has many useful properties, which will be discussed a little later, and now we will talk a little more about this intricate plant. 
Homeland of Carambola - warmer climes
Like many other exotic plants, Carambola came to us from Southeast Asia. This fruit is grown in different countries of the world, including Indonesia, India, Brazil, USA, Israel, the Philippines, etc. In order to properly grow Carambola, most of the above countries set up large plantations on which all the necessary conditions are created for this plants.
What is Carambola?
Carambola is an evergreen tree that reaches a height of 5-6 meters. The leaves are dark green in color, and are up to 45 cm long. It blooms with pink flowers with a delicate scent. It is worth noting that the flowering period of this plant is all year round. The fruits are light or dark yellow, in size they resemble a hen's egg. It has a unique fruit shape, divided into 5 longitudinal ribs, and therefore resembles an asterisk in section. Carambola is sometimes called star fruit because of its shape. Inside the fruit are small, up to 1 centimeter, seeds.
How to grow at home?
One of the advantages of this tree is the ability to grow it at home both for decorative purposes and to obtain tasty and juicy fruits. It is worth noting that it is very easy to grow a small tree at home; this can be done by planting a seed in the ground from a freshly eaten fruit. Also, Carambola can be propagated by cuttings, simply by planting them in the ground. After rooting, future plants can be poured into pots filled with substrate, which you can make yourself or buy ready-made in the store. It is necessary to carefully choose a substrate for this plant, otherwise it may die.
If you decide to grow Carambola from seeds, then it is best to sow them in the ground in February, this is the most favorable time for them. It is best to sow in a special substrate, most often moss or peat, which can be easily purchased at any plant store. The soil with seeds must be placed in a warm place; you can equip a mini-greenhouse, which will be an ideal option. In order to speed up the germination process, you can cover the seed pots with foil. Under favorable conditions, the first shoots will sprout in a couple of weeks, after which they need to be transplanted into separate, larger pots.
Lighting
Carambola loves a lot of light, so it is advisable to put the pots with a tree in a well-lit room or on a windowsill. It is important not to overdo it with light, since if the plant is exposed to direct sunlight for a long time, it may die.
Temperature
In order for Carambola to feel great, you need to maintain a certain temperature, in summer about 19-20 degrees and in winter not less than 17-18 degrees, it is these conditions that are most favorable for growth.
When and what to feed?
In feeding carambola is not whimsical, therefore any mixture for indoor plants is suitable as a fertilizer. Fertilize the tree 3-4 times a year, it is best to do this in late spring and summer.
What is ill and how to treat?
If you take good care of it and water it correctly, the plant will not get sick with anything. The leaves of the plant can turn yellow and crumble if watering improperly, so make sure that the soil in the pot is not too dry or damp. Watering is desirable every three days or as the soil dries out (it should always be moist).
Useful properties of fruits and where can they be used?
Most often, the fruits of this plant are used to decorate various dishes and drinks. The fruit tastes sweet and sour, very juicy, quickly quenches thirst. This fruit is suitable for those who are losing weight, as it is low in calories (35 calories per 100 grams), so the fruits of Carambola can sometimes be found in various diets.
Beneficial features
At home, Carambola is used not only for culinary purposes, but also for the treatment of certain diseases, such as nausea, diseases of the intestinal tract, hangovers, etc. In some countries, carambola fruits are used to stop bleeding, from fever.
The leaves and roots are also widely used in medicine for the manufacture of medicines, as these parts of the plant contain glutamic acid, which is a powerful antidote.
In addition to all of the above useful properties of carambola
also helps restore blood circulation, relieves headaches, lowers blood sugar, etc.
Remember that if you decide to grow carambola at home, you will certainly get not only a beautiful plant, but also an irreplaceable home doctor.
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Carambola is known to most Ukrainians and Russians only for its original star-shaped fruits (sometimes carambola is called "star-fruit"), which are occasionally found in stores in natural form, but even more often - in the form of images on labels with carbonated water. It is grown extremely rarely, such attempts are made only by individual enthusiasts.
Carambola is an evergreen compact tree, reaching 3-9 m in height in nature. She has large beautiful dark green pinnately compound leaves 15-30 cm long and beautiful fragrant pink flowerscollected in panicles. Carambola fruits can reach 5-15 cm in diameter. They are truly tasty only with natural growth.
An interesting feature of carambola is its reaction to touch - the leaves curl up from it. They also usually fold overnight, and if they curl up during the day it means the plant is not doing well.
Carambola grows well in containers and bears fruit in rooms from August to the end of December, but flowers appear on it several times a year.
Optimal placement
Carambola feels fine in partial shade, but it needs good lighting for better growth and fruiting. It is better to place it in the south, west or east exposure.
Requirements for temperature and temperature conditions
For normal growth and development of carambola, temperatures are required in the range of 20-22 ° C (in winter, a slight decrease is desirable).
Potting requirements
For the cultivation of carambola, a soil mixture of clay-sod, leaf and humus lands with sand in a ratio of 3: 1: 1: 1 is optimal. You can use ready-made universal primers. High drainage must be done in containers.
Reproduction
Carambola propagates by seeds and grafting, but because grafted seedlings are very difficult to get, more often you have to resort to seed breeding. Seeds (they look like pumpkin seeds) must be sown in loose soil and cover the container with glass or a mini-greenhouse. They usually germinate in 2-3 weeks. Carambola begins to bear fruit 2-3 years after sowing. With seed reproduction, varietal characteristics are not preserved.
Plant formation and pruning
The formation of the crown is reduced to limiting its growth in height, for which it is necessary to cut vertically growing shoots. When thinning, in case of thickening, it is usually not the branches that are removed, but the leaves.
Pollination
Carambola has both self-pollinating varieties and those in need of artificial pollination. An ordinary brush is used for pollination.
Requirements for watering and atmospheric humidity
Carambola prefers moderate but constant humidity. In the hot season, it is advisable to spray it.
Top dressing
It is enough to feed the carambola once a month. Liquid concentrated fertilizers can be used.
Other care
Other care is reduced to loosening the soil after watering. The carom is hardly damaged by pests.
Based on materials from the book by M. Tsvetkova "Garden on the window and balcony"