Arkin Carambola

Averrhoa carambola 'Arkin'

fruit

Arkin is the leading sweet carambola, the cultivar that turned star fruit from a tart curiosity into a popular dessert fruit. Its waxy, golden-yellow fruit has five prominent ribs, so a crosswise slice forms a perfect star - as ornamental on a plate as it is to eat. The crisp, very juicy flesh is mild and sweet-tart with a hint of citrus, eaten skin and all with no peeling or seeds to fuss over. Arkin is self-fruitful and precocious, and the tree is an attractive, multi-branched evergreen that bears young and over a long season, making it one of the easiest and most decorative tropical fruits for a warm garden.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Sweet Potato: A groundcover living mulch that shades the carambolas shallow roots and suppresses weeds
• Marigold: Helps suppress nematodes around young trees in sandy soils
• Lemongrass: A fragrant clumping border on the same warm, well-drained site that helps deter some pests

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Scale →

  Treat stems and leaves with horticultural oil and prune out encrusted wood

• Diaprepes root weevil →

  Adults notch leaves and larvae feed on roots - manage ground cover, use beneficial nematodes, and remove fallen fruit

• Stink bugs →

  Pierce and blemish fruit - bag developing fruit, clear weedy hosts, and hand-pick

• Anthracnose →

  A fruit and leaf fungus in wet weather - prune for airflow, avoid overhead watering, and clear mummified fruit

🌾 Harvest & storage

Arkin begins bearing remarkably fast - within about 10 to 14 months of planting - and fruit matures 60 to 75 days from fruit set, with the main season running June through February. Pick when the fruit turns from green to yellow in the furrows between the ribs while the rib tips are still just greenish; it does not sweeten after picking, so let it color fully on the tree. Handle gently, since the thin ribs bruise. Eat fresh, sliced into salads, or juiced.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Very light at about 31 calories per 100 g, with 2.8 g fiber, 34 mg vitamin C, 133 mg potassium, and antioxidants. The whole fruit is edible, crisp, and refreshing - just be aware of the kidney-disease caution above.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

Star fruit is safe for most people but is high in oxalic acid and contains a neurotoxin (caramboxin) that healthy kidneys filter out. People with kidney disease, or anyone on dialysis, should not eat star fruit or drink its juice unless cleared by their doctor, as even a small amount can cause serious harm.