Starfruit (Averrhoa Carambola)

Description

This starfruit originally came from that five-in-the-morning-feel-like-you’re-in-Vietnam market in the East. If you’ve never gone, go! You got to wake up early Saturday morning and get there before the things sell out. And one Saturday, about five years ago, I did. These trees are offspiring of the tree that I bought that day.

This tree was a seedling, sapling maybe, and I put this on the Southside of my house near a pond, in a nice microclimate. The tree has made it through some harsh winters and though it has lost some foliage, it always comes back with a vengeance and the fruit forms on the new growth.

Last year saw thousands of flowers and a hundred plus fruit. These trees are offspring of that fruit. Powerful specimens. Chosen for their ability to survive. I took multiple seeds, put them into a pot, neglected them, and then these are the ones that came up. These are the ones most acclimated to New Orleans.

This starfuit is a big fat, yellow orange sucker. And starfruit is not only beautiful and unique, but high in vitamin C, which helps the body produce white blood cells that fight germs. It also contains antioxidants like iron, zinc, and manganese that can strengthen the immune system.

The potassium in star fruit can help lower blood pressure, which may reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack. Research also suggests that star fruit may lower cholesterol levels.

Star fruit is high in fiber, which can help move waste through the digestive tract and relieve constipation, bloating, cramping, and diarrhea. Some types of fiber also act as prebiotics, which feed healthy bacteria in the gut that can help with digestion and control harmful bacteria. The fiber also controls blood sugar by absorbing glucose and slowing its diffusion into the bloodstream.

If all that’s not enough, star fruit contains natural antioxidants like vitamin C, β-carotene, and gallic acid that can improve the body’s antioxidant defenses and reduce inflammatory markers.

Beautiful purple flowers that bees love and fruit that will do your body good!