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Carambola

Averrhoa carambola

Photo by SukanyaDatta
Published on Project Noah
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22.5726, 88.3639

Field Notes

Description:

This fruit is unmistakable because it has five (sometimes more) prominent ridges down its side. Green when unripe and sour to set your teeth on edge (lovely with a dash of salt) but sweet-sour and yellow when ripe.

Habitat:

I saw the top part of this tree covering the roof of a small stall on the road I take to work. The tree was behind the stall so I did not get to see it in entirety. I am just surprised that the local urchins have not looted the fruits...or the owners (if any) have not harvested it for sale.

Reference Links:

Carambola - Wikipedia

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
mauna Kunzah
That's a hilarious story, Sukanya! :-') I also had no idea that people made chutneys with this (pretty awesome). I've tasted it in Hawaii, where we call it starfruit.
SukanyaDatta
Mauna kunzah...this fruit is very sour when raw....we usually make achutney with loads of sugar to counteract the sourness. The Indian version of this fruit is not soapy in taste..I can attest to it. Slices are sold outside schools and I once smuggled one into class and almost got caught eating it...salt or not it was so sour...I think the nun saw my grimace....
mauna Kunzah
This fruit kind of looks and tastes like soap! It has a flavor that’s barely there, lol.
HemaShah
Some people are just very lucky! Carambola and Amla and Imli and Mango,oh my!

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Trees of the World

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Photographed
PublishedJanuary 22, 2019

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