Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern Asia
Types
Cuphea hyssopifolia
Starfruit
Number of Varieties
352
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical areas
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1510-14
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
11-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.40 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Violet
Pink, Rose, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow, Orange, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong to lance-shaped
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Frost
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs watering once a week, Requires more often in extreme heat
Average Water Needs, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer
Fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
-
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Kidney Stone
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, High blood pressure, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
AVERRHOA carambola
Common Name
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
Carambola, Starfruit
In Hindi
Mexican Heather
carambola पेड़
In German
Mexican Heather
Sternfrucht Baum
In French
Mexicaine Heather
arbre carambole
In Spanish
Heather mexicana
árbol de carambola
In Greek
Μεξικού Heather
carambola δέντρο
In Portuguese
Mexican Heather
árvore de carambola
In Polish
Mexican Heather
karambola drzewo
In Latin
Mexicanus Heather
carambola ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Oxalidales
Family
Lythraceae
Oxalidaceae
Genus
Cuphea
Averrhoa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Lythroideae
-
Number of Species
250180
1
27800
👆🏻