Carambola

The carambola or starfruit is a fruit that grows on 6 to 12m high evergreen trees in tropical forests. It reaches a length of 6 to 12cm and a width of 3 to 6cm in form of a fleshy ellipse. The name "starfruit" obviously is derived from the five prominent longitudinal ribs. The skin is slightly transparent, smooth and slightly waxy. It is juicy and has an intensive odour. The seeds are flat and edible.

The fruit is rich in important minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and iron, and also in provitamin A, vitamin C and niacin. It is cultivated in many countries with a warm climate, e.g. Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, China, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Central and South America, US (Florida and Hawaii) and in some African countries.