CARAMBOLA

CULTIVAR: Hoku

Selected by the University of Hawaii.

Fruit 5 - 6 inches long.

Bright yellow skin and flesh.

Juicy, firm flesh with a sweet rich flavor, few seeds.

 

Averrhoa carambola L.

Oxalidaceae

Common Names: Carambola, Starfruit.

Related Species: Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi L.)

The Starfruit is from Malaysia and Indonesia, now common throughout tropical Asia and the neo-tropics. Most of the world’s commercial cultivation occurs in Brazil, the West Indies, and Malaysia. The Carambola is believed to have originated in Sri Lanka and the Moluccas, but it has been cultivated in southeast Asia and Malaysia for many centuries.

The Carambola is a slow-growing, short-trunked evergreen tree with a much-branched, bushy canopy that is broad and rounded. Mature trees seldom exceed 25-30 feet in height, in favorable conditions, and 20-25 feet in spread. Carambolas do best in a frost-free location. They are tolerant of wind except for those that are hot and dry. The tree needs full sun. Averrhoa carambola can bear so much fruit the branches will break if they aren’t harvested.  The Carambola needs moisture for best growth. In a spot to its liking Carambolas make handsome ornamentals.  

photo of multiple similar items

You are bidding on * small bare root seedlings with vigorous root systems * inches tall with * leaves born and grown in Hawaii.

     The Carambola fruit, as the name would suggest, is shaped like a star. Attractive star shape when cut in cross-section slices. The skin is thin, light to dark yellow and smooth with a waxy cuticle. The flesh is light yellow to yellow, translucent, crisp and very juicy, without fiber. Fruit best when ripened on the tree, but will ripen slowly if picked before fully ripe. Green or ripe fruits are easily damaged and must be handled with great care. Ripe Carambolas are eaten out-of-hand, sliced and served in salads or used as a garnish. They are also cooked in puddings, tarts, stews and curries.

        There are multiple varieties of Starfruit, both sweet and sour. Sweet varieties tend to be lighter in color and smaller, about five inches long and three inches wide. Sour varieties are larger and more orange in color.

   The Carambola is classified as subtropical because mature trees can tolerate temperatures as low as 27° F for short periods of time with little damage. Like many other subtropicals, however, young plants are more susceptible to frost and can be killed at 32° F. Carambolas can be severely damaged by flooding or prevailing hot, dry winds. The small trees make good container plants. 

       The fragrant, pink to lavender flowers are 3/8 inch in diameter, perfect, and borne in clusters in axils of leaves on young branches, or on older branches without leaves. There are several flushes of bloom throughout the year. 

          The spirally arranged, alternate leaves are 6 - 10 inches long, with 5 - 11 nearly opposite, ovate-oblong leaflets that are 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches in length. They are soft, medium-green, and smooth on the upper surface, faintly hairy and whitish on the underside. The leaflets are sensitive to light and more or less inclined to to fold together at night or when the tree is shaken or abruptly shocked.

          Polynesian Produce Stand           

 

    

   Shipping    

ATTENTION USA BIDDERS!

   All live plants are shipped bare-root wrapped in moist sphagnum moss to ensure the plant’s healthy transit to you. All live plants are Inspected By USDA Plant Inspectors before they are shipped to insure you get healthy pest free plants and seeds.

      We ship via USPS Mondays-Wednesday with Delivery confirmation.

    All plant materials are required by LAW to inspected and certified by USDA prior to export Hawaii to the US Mainland.

 After Inspection, USDA stamps released for export Hawaii to the US Mainland. All items are delivered to USDA Inspection Station at Honolulu International airport.

USDA Certification charge is included in Shipping and Handling @ $5 fee per item/species. There is a packing & custom boxing fee.

Last and usually least is USPS postage (shipping).

 

ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS!

         We can ship live plants to the US only. Only Domestic Shipping and Handling includes USDA Certification.

We ship Seeds Internationally.

  All International shipments are at Buyer's Risk. Please spend no more more than you can lose!

Proper Permits and Documents are the BUYER's responsibility. Please request any documents prior to shipping.

For foreign customers, please check your laws concerning permitting and customs, additional shipping and handling costs may apply.

         The additional charge for any Phytosanitary Certificate is not included in this offer.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING ON LIVE PLANTS is available only under these conditions!

All international orders are shipped at the BUYER's RISK  (shipped with or without documents) and no refunds or replacements are offered for Dead On Arrival, loss, confiscation, Customs Seizure, unanticipated charges, etc.

 

   Payment

            We accept online payments only through PayPal, Cash payments are only acceptable for in-person payments and cash-on-delivery (COD). Cash payment can not be sent through the mail.

      Please only one Paypal payment. SO THE COMBINED SHIPPING RULE WILL CAN BE USED. Multiple paypal payments are NOT eligible for discounts.

        We will ship once a week - ON or BEFORE WEDNESDAYS, because of the special stamps needed to ship plants and cuttings to you.  This can only be done at the Dept. of Agriculture.  If payments are not met before that MONDAY, your items will be shipped the following week and lose the combined discount opportunity.

         Non-paying bidders may receive negative feedback and will be reported as an unpaid item to eBay.

 

COMBINED SHIPPING POLICY

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING is not included in this offer.  

See INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING ON LIVE PLANTS

        We will combine shipping for auctions won on the same week paid with same paypal payment.

   This policy is good for all items bought and paid for in the week ending MONDAY.

Payment must be received within 7 days of the auction ending.

Combined Discounts Won Auctions

     For 2-3 winning auctions, the combined discount is 10% of the total Shipping and Handling charges. For 4-7 winning auctions, the combined discount is 20% of the total Shipping and Handling charges. For 7+ winning auctions, the combined discount is 30% of the total Shipping and Handling charges.

         As each order is packed and prepared separately you will pay the quoted S/H charges individually per item. If you buy the same species in that item it does calculate out the discount (i.e.: additional item $3.61). My stores' combined shipping is built in for same items rather than a varied selection. Includes postage, USDA certification and inspection, proper packing and delivery to Airport for prompt delivery. I can’t really change any of these. If you want one of this and one of that, it gets hard to discount much as each different species requires it's own prep & packing, then at USDA each has to be unwrapped and inspected then repacked. USDA requires me to clean and prepare every last piece before we drive them to the Inspection Station on the other side of the island. It takes my wife and I, a day to pack items and get ready to ship. The whole next day we drive around the island and get inspected (2-3 hours), then drive to the Airport Post Office to drop off. It takes the same work with the same type item if you can understand.

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If you are dissatisfied with the item, please contact me   

before leaving a negative or neutral comment.

I want you to be satisfied.

Mahalo iâ `oe no ke kipa `ana mai. E kipa mai hou!

Mahalo & Aloha!!