Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi)
Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi) is a fruit-bearing tree in family Oxalidaceae, natives to the Moluccas, Indonesia. It is commonly cultivated or found semi-wild in Southeast Asian countries. Averrhoa bilimbi is also known as cucumber tree and tree sorrel. The tree and fruit are known by various names in different languages. In Malaysia, it is known locally as belimbing buluh or belimbing asam; and belimbing besu or balimbing in Indonesia. It should not be confused with carambola or starfruit, which bears the same common name. The bilimbi tree is a long-lived tropical tree, growing 5-10 m tall. It has a short trunk and multiple upright branches. The green leaves, 3-6 cm long, are clustered at the branch tips. They are alternate, imparipinnate, 30-60 cm long, with 11-37 alternate or subopposite, ovate or oblong, with rounded base and pointed tip leaflets. The flowers are five-petaled, small, fragrant, yellowish-green or purplish marked with dark-purple. They are borne in small, hairy panicles, emerged directly from the trunk, branches and twigs. The bilimbi fruit is cylindrical, 4-10 cm long and 1- 2 cm in diameter, and has five hsallow ridges running along its length. The fruit is with five hair-like remnants at the apex and capped by a thin, star-shaped calyx at the stem-end. It is acidic and crisp when unripe, turning from bright-green to yellowish-green to white when ripe and falls to the ground. The fruit contains 6-7 flattened, smooth, brown, disc-like seeds, 6 mm wide. The fruits are picked by hands, singly or in clusters. The outer skin of the fruit is thin, glossy and bruise easily. The flesh is greenish-white, juicy and extremely sour. The fruit is too acid to be eaten raw. They are usually add to fish or meat dish, and in curries. The fruits are also used for beverages and preserves. The juice, with its oxalic acid content, is useful for bleaching stains from the hands and rust from white cloth, and also removing tarnish from brass. It can also made into cooling beverages. Bilimbi grows best in full sun, rich, moist and well-drained soil. Propagation is by seeds.  Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi) Author: Sugeesh (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported) | ||
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