Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Fruit
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern Asia
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Starfruit
Hibiscus arnottianus, Hibiscus waimeae
Number of Varieties
2-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-149-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-5
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm600.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink, Rose, Violet
Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Orange, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Chocolate, Ivory, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblovate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Frost
Drought, Variety of soil types
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Stem Cutting, Tip cutting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Requires watering in the growing season
It cannot sustain wet-feet, Keep the Soil well drained, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water frequently while growing, Water more in summer, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Cut leaves after fall, Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune in early summer, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Fertilize every year
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Balanced liquid fertilizer, Do not fertilize new plants until at least a month, Use a low phosphate fertilizer to improve the quality of the blooms
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Mealybugs, Red spider mite, Scale, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Variety of soil types
Flowers
Showy
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Kidney Stone
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Borders, Landscape Designing
Beauty Benefits
-
Hair Conditioner, Prevents greying of hair, Prevents Premature Baldness, Promotes Healthy Hair, Promotes healthy skin, Speed hair growth
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, High blood pressure, Nutrients
anti-inflammatory, Diuretic, Hair Loss, High blood pressure, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Flowers, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Employed in herbal medicine, Jam, Jelly, Making Shampoo, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Showy Purposes, Traditional medicine, Use in Chinese herbology, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for bedding in gardens, Used for fragrance, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages, Used in paper industry, Used in salads, Used to make hair tonic
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Container, Foundation, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
AVERRHOA carambola
Hibiscus arnottianus
Common Name
Carambola, Starfruit
White Hibiscus
In Hindi
carambola पेड़
सफेद हिबिस्कुस
In German
Sternfrucht Baum
Weiß Hibiscus
In French
arbre carambole
white Hibiscus
In Spanish
árbol de carambola
hibisco blanco
In Greek
carambola δέντρο
White Hibiscus
In Portuguese
árvore de carambola
Hibiscus branco
In Polish
karambola drzewo
Biały Hibiscus
In Latin
carambola ligno
Hibiscus album
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Oxalidales
Malvales
Family
Oxalidaceae
Malvaceae
Genus
Averrhoa
Hibiscus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Hibisceae
Subfamily
-
Malvoideae
Number of Species
180100
1
27800
👆🏻