Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Broadleaf Evergreen, Vines
Origin
Southeastern Asia
India, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Southern Asia
Types
Starfruit
Red pepper, Orange pepper
Number of Varieties
27
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Moist Soils, orchards, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-148-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-5
12 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink, Rose, Violet
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Orange, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Red, Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblovate
Circular cordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Frost
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Requires watering in the growing season
Do Not over Water, Sprinkle water over foliage, Water every two or three days during warmer months
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Remove dead branches, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize every year
10-10-10 diluted liquid fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Do not let fertilizers touch the leaves
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Beetles, Root rot, Rust, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction
Flowers
Showy
-
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Leafminer, Snails, Squirrels
Allergy
Kidney Stone
Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Decorating walls
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Blackheads
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Fixes Nitrogen, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, High blood pressure, Nutrients
Acid Reflux, Dysentry, Healthy teeth, Inflammation, Oral health
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Dried seeds
Other Uses
Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
AVERRHOA carambola
Piper nigrum
Common Name
Carambola, Starfruit
Peppercorn, Piper, Black pepper
In Hindi
carambola पेड़
काली मिर्च
In German
Sternfrucht Baum
Pfeffer
In French
arbre carambole
Piper nigrum
In Spanish
árbol de carambola
Poivrier noir
In Greek
carambola δέντρο
μαύρο πιπέρι
In Portuguese
árvore de carambola
Pimenta-preta
In Polish
karambola drzewo
Pieprz czarny
In Latin
carambola ligno
nigrum piperis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Oxalidales
Piperales
Family
Oxalidaceae
Piperaceae
Genus
Averrhoa
Piper
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1801100
1
27800
👆🏻