The Averrhoa carambola tree is a relatively short, highly branched
slow growing evergreen tree. Typical star fruit trees can grow up to 9 meters tall.
They contains a short-trunk, and white secondary xylem (wood) that
will develop a reddish tint over time. Due to all of the
branching coming off of the short-trunk, Averrhoa
carambola’s branches appear to form a rounded crown shape.
This can be observed in the image located on the right.
The leaves of a star fruit tree
are compound, deciduous,
and pinnate.
They are green in color
and alternate sides of the branches while spirally arranging
themselves. This spiral arrangement is to insure maximum levels
of sunlight is captured. The leaflets themselves
are very sensitive to light and abrupt shock. If a tree is
shaken, the leaves will curl up
together. Also, if observed at night the leaves will be curled
up together.
Star fruit tree’s produce a purple streaked flower that are in
small clusters at the end of the branches. These purple-streaked
flowers for a perfect bell shape with red stalks attaching them
to the tree.
The
fruit that is produced by the Averrhoa carambola have
an oblong shape with 5-6 longitudinal angles creating
longitudinal ribs. The fruit has a yellow-orange thin waxy skin
covering its yellow flesh. The fruit’s size varies from 6-15cm
long and up to 9cm wide.
This is an image of what a typical star fruit looks like when it
is prepared to eat. If you take a cross section of the fruit, it
will form
the shape of a star. This particular feature of this fruit is where
its name, star fruit, originated from.
