Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Fruit
Origin
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Southeastern Asia
Types
Kigelia africana
Starfruit
Number of Varieties
92
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1210-14
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
11-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
910.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Dark Red, Tan
Pink, Rose, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Yellow, Orange, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Frost
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Poisonous when unripe
Kidney Stone
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Slow downs aging
-
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
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, High blood pressure, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds, Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
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
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Botanical Name
KIGELIA africana
AVERRHOA carambola
Common Name
Sausage Tree
Carambola, Starfruit
In Hindi
Sausage Tree
carambola पेड़
In German
Sausage Tree
Sternfrucht Baum
In French
saucisse Arbre
arbre carambole
In Spanish
Árbol de salchicha
árbol de carambola
In Greek
λουκάνικο δέντρο
carambola δέντρο
In Portuguese
Árvore de salsicha
árvore de carambola
In Polish
kiełbasa Drzewo
karambola drzewo
In Latin
farciminis ligno
carambola ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Oxalidales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Oxalidaceae
Genus
Kaempferia
Averrhoa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Tecomeae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
9180
1
27800
👆🏻