University of Florida Plant Information Carambola Growing in the Florida Home Landscape
HS12
Scientific Name: Averrhoa carambola L.
Common Names: carambola, star fruit (starfruit), bilimbi, and five-finger
Family: Oxalidaceae
Relatives: bilimbi, oxalis
Origin: Southeast Asia
Distribution: Carambolas are cultivated throughout many tropical and warm subtropical areas of the world. In the US, carambolas are grown commercially in southern Florida and Hawaii. In Florida, carambolas are grown commercially in Dade, Lee, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
History: Carambolas have been cultivated in southeast Asia (e.g., Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka) for centuries, and trees were introduced in Florida over 100 years ago. Fruit from the first introductions into Florida were tart. More recently, seeds and vegetative material from Thailand, Taiwan, and Malaysia have been introduced and sweet cultivars have been selected.
Importance: As consumers become more familiar with carambola (also called star fruit), commercial acreage and production will increase throughout the tropical and subtropical world. Currently, the major producers include Taiwan, Malaysia, Guyana, India, Philippines, Australia, Israel, and the United States (Florida and Hawaii).
Warning: People who have been diagnosed with kidney disease should not eat carambola (star fruit) unless their doctor says that it is safe for them to eat. This fruit may contain enough oxalic acid to cause a rapid decline in renal function.
- This document is HS12, one of a series of the Department of Horticultural Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date August 1981. Revised April 1994, August 2005, May 2007, and November 2016. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.
- Jonathan H. Crane, professor, tropical fruit crops specialist; UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL 33031.