Carambola (commonly known as Starfruit) originates from Southeast Asia, where it thrives in the warm tropical climate, enjoying abundant rainfall and humidity. Carambola is one of our absolute favorite fruits and grows extremely well in Florida! When cut into slices, the fruit is star-shaped, thus the common name “Starfruit”. The fruit is juicy, slightly crunchy, and very refreshing, with a flavor somewhere between an apple and a tangerine. We often recommend it as an easy-to-grow alternative to both of those fruits, which can be marginal or difficult to grow in Florida. Carambola trees produce abundantly twice per year, in spring-early summer and fall-early winter. At maturity they can produce so frequently that there is effectively year-round fruit. Winner!
Carambola fruit contains oxalic acid, which is also found in a few common vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli. For healthy individuals, oxalic acid poses no health risk, but for those with existing kidney complications, foods containing oxalic acid should be avoided. Starfruit is sweet, but not very high in sugar, and contains a significant amount of vitamin C– 41% of the recommended daily value. It can be eaten fresh off the tree, sliced up for a fruit salad, juiced, dehydrated, or even used in baking and desserts. A quick google search showed us that Carambola upside-down cake is actually pretty popular… and now we must try it. Stay tuned for the results!
Starfruit trees are very adaptable, fast growers, and can grow well in full sun or partial shade. They are not picky on soil type, as long as there is adequate drainage. Supplemental watering can improve fruit set and retention, but once established they can withstand Florida’s dry season without much issue. Grafted Starfruit trees tend to fruit at a very young age– our customers are often surprised to see fruit hanging on small 3-gallon trees, but it’s not uncommon! The tree itself is a beautiful, spreading grower, with curving branches and lush foliage. If left unpruned they can grow large, but are easily kept at 8-10 feet tall with a routine haircut. Starfruit trees can handle cold weather reasonably well, with some dieback of branch tips when temperatures dip below freezing. One thing to note is that Starfruit trees will not perform well in areas exposed to constant high wind, so choose your planting area strategically.
Out of all the tropical fruit trees we grow, Starfruit has consistently been one of our most popular and is one of the first trees we recommend to new growers. Its lush foliage and pretty pinkish-purple flowers add a pop of beauty to a garden, and constant availability of fruit makes it a must-have for your food forest.
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Size: Can grow to 20’+, but easily maintained at 8’-10’ with pruning.
Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
Cold Hardy: 30-32 degrees
Harvest Season: Spring and Fall
Watering requirements: Semi-drought tolerant once established, but will benefit from extra watering.
