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bilimbi

Averrhoa bilimbi L.

Family: Oxalidaceae · Genus: Averrhoa

cucumber tree

Secondary I Medium No biomass production
David Monniaux · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

Small tropical tree (5–10 m), close relative of carambola (Averrhoa carambola, already in canon). Small green cylindrical very acidic fruits — used in pickles, juices, and chutneys. Tolerates partial shade. Plays a continuous-fruiting role in the medium stratum of Amazonian syntropic systems.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary I
Ecological role
Early secondary
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, Low
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Partial sun
Water requirement
High
Drought tolerance
Low
Waterlogging tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
5–7
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey, Sandy
Hardiness zones
11–13
Frost tolerance
-1.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
5–10 m
Recommended spacing
4–6 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
30–50 years
Time to first harvest
36 months
Productive lifespan
30 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Bilimbi takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium · ≈10 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Prefers deep, fertile, well-drained sandy-to-clay loams with pH 5.5–6.5 and organic matter; grows slowly in shade. Very frost-sensitive — young growth is damaged at −1 °C and mature plants are killed at −3 °C or below. Fruits best with a 2–3 month dry season, though it crops nearly year-round.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Grafted trees fruit in 2–3 years and seedlings in 5–6 years. Responds to formative pruning; well-pruned 10-year-old trees yield heavy crops. Cauliflorous — flowers and fruit are borne on the trunk and old branches, so avoid removing productive wood.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Fruiting months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of bilimbi?

The first harvest of bilimbi comes around 36 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for bilimbi?

The recommended spacing for bilimbi is 4–6 m.

How tall does bilimbi grow?

At maturity, bilimbi reaches 5–10 m tall.

When does bilimbi fruit?

Fruiting of bilimbi occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

When does bilimbi flower?

Flowering of bilimbi occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

What stage and stratum does bilimbi occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, bilimbi belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit 🍯 Melliferous Ornamental

Propagation

Seed, Cutting, Air layering, Grafting

Citations

  1. Useful Tropical Plants — Averrhoa bilimbi (height_min_m, height_max_m, ph_min, ph_max, light_need, water_need, drought_tolerance, frost_tolerance_c, time_to_first_harvest_months, propagation, cultivation_notes, pruning_notes)
  2. CTAHR University of Hawaii — Bilimbi (Fruits and Nuts F_N-23) (cultivation_notes, waterlogging_tolerance, propagation)
  3. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Averrhoa bilimbi L. (gbif_taxon_key, family, genus)
  4. Plants of the World Online (Kew) — Averrhoa bilimbi L. (powo_id, family)

External references

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