Bilimbi
Averrhoa bilimbi

Family: Oxalidaceae

What it is like

A small evergreen tree up to 7-10 m high. It can spread 3 m across. The stem is erect and short. Leaves are large. Leaves have from 5 to 17 or 34 pairs of leaflets. Leaves are pale green. The leaves are often clustered near the branch tips. Flowers are crimson. They are produced on old branches and the stem. The flowers are in 15 cm long clusters. These then bear clusters of cucumber shaped fruit on the trunk and older branches. Fruit are 8-10 cm long and yellow or green. They are soft and fleshy with a few flat seeds in the centre. Fruit are sour but edible.

There are 5 Averrhoa species. Sometimes Averrhoa are put in the Averrhoaceae family.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It suits the hot, wet tropical lowlands. The tree is drought resistant. It will grow from sea level up to at least 750 m altitude in the tropics. It prefers well composted, moist soil, in a protected, partly shaded position. It is frost tender. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. At MARDI.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central America, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia (country/location of origin), Jamaica, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mariana Islands, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nicaragua, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, West Timor

How it is used for food

The fruit are used for souring dishes. They can also be used for jams, drinks, pickles and in curries. The flowers can be made into conserves.

Only of minor use as a flavouring in cooking. It is common in India and south Asia. Occasional trees occur in Papua New Guinea and the fruit is probably little used. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit, flowers, spice

How it is grown

Trees are mostly grown from seeds. It grows wild in secondary forest in many coastal areas. It can also be grown by air layering.

Flowers are produced all year round. Flowering is more common in dry seasons. Plants produce fruit after 5-6 years/ Fruit mature in 90 years. A tree can produce 500 fruit in a year.

Its other names

Local names

Belimbing asam, Belimbing besi, Belimbing buluk, Belimbing masam, Belimbing wuluh, Bilamagu, Bilimagu, Bilimbing wuluh, Bilin, Bilombitenga, Birinbi, Camia, Cornichonier, Cucumber tree, Iba, Kamias, Kamis, Kamrakh, Khe tau, Kochittamarattai, Lange birambi, Limao-de-Caiena, Limon chino, Mbilimbi, Mimbro, Mimbru, Pohon belimbing wuluh, Shiyam, Sour finger carambola, Taling pling, Tayok-zaungya, Tralong tong, Trolung tung

Synonyms

Averrhoa abtusangulata Stokes; Averrhoa obtusangula Stokes;