From the Manual Of
Tropical And Subtropical Fruits
by Wilson Popenoe
The Bilimbi
Averrhoa Bilimbi, L.
Like its congener the carambola, this tree is probably a native of
the Malayan region, but it is known only as a cultivated species. The
fruit is too highly acid to be eaten out of hand; it may be pickled in
the same manner as the cucumber, which it resembles in appearance; it
may be preserved in sirup or it may be used as a relish with meat or
fish.
The tree, which grows to about 30 feet in height, may be
distinguished readily from the carambola by its larger leaves, which
have five to seventeen pairs of leaflets in place of two to five. The
crimson flowers have ten stamens, all perfect. The
fruit, known in different regions as bilamhu, balimbing,
blimhing, blimbee, and camias, is cylindrical or obscurely five-angled,
2 to 4 inches long, greenish yellow and translucent when ripe, with
soft juicy flesh containing a few small flattened seeds.
The
requirements are much the same as those of the carambola. It is
usually propagated by seeds. P. J. Wester reported that attempts to bud
the tree were not successful. No horticultural varieties are grown.
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