Averrhoa bilimbi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Averrhoa bilimbi |
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Averrhoa
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bilimbi
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The Averrhoa bilimbi tree is often called bilimbi, cucumber tree, or tree sorrel. It's a special tree that grows fruit. It belongs to the Averrhoa group of plants and the family called Oxalidaceae.
This tree is a close relative of the carambola tree, which also produces a tasty fruit.
Contents
What is Bilimbi?
A Small Tropical Tree
The bilimbi tree is a small tree that loves warm, tropical places. It comes from Malaysia and Indonesia. It can grow quite tall, up to 15 meters (about 49 feet).
Many bilimbi trees have several trunks instead of just one. They also have many branches that spread out quickly.
Leaves and Flowers
Bilimbi leaves grow in a special way. They are called pinnate leaves, which means they look like feathers. Each leaf is long, about 30–60 centimeters (12–24 inches).
On each leaf, there are many smaller leaves called leaflets. There can be 11 to 37 of these small leaflets. They are usually 2–10 centimeters long and 1–2 centimeters wide. These leaflets often grow in clusters at the end of the branches.
The flowers of the bilimbi tree are quite unique. They grow right on the tree's trunk and older branches. This is called cauliflory. The flowers grow in hanging bunches called panicles.
These flowers are pretty and smell nice. They have five petals that are 10–30 millimeters long. Their color can be yellowish-green or reddish-purple.
The Bilimbi Fruit
The fruit of the bilimbi tree is shaped like an oval. It's usually about 4–10 centimeters (1.5–4 inches) long. Sometimes, it has five faint ridges.
The skin of the fruit is smooth and a bit waxy. It changes from light green to yellowish-green when it's ripe. The inside of the fruit is crunchy.
The juice from the bilimbi fruit is very sour and acidic. Because of this, people usually don't eat the fresh fruit by itself. Instead, they often use it to add a sour flavor to dishes. It's a key ingredient in many Indonesian foods.
Where Bilimbi Grows
Origin and Spread
The bilimbi tree probably first grew in the Maluku Islands in Indonesia. But now, you can find it growing in many countries. It's common in Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, and Malaysia. You'll also see it in other Southeast Asian countries.
In India, bilimbi trees are often found in gardens. They have even started growing wild in the warmest parts of the country. They are also seen along the coasts of South India.
Beyond Asia
Outside of Asia, bilimbi trees are grown in Zanzibar. In 1793, the tree was brought to Jamaica from Timor. After some years, it started growing all over Central America and South America. There, it's sometimes called mimbro. In Suriname, it's known as lange birambi.
The tree was brought to Queensland, Australia, in the late 1800s. Since then, it has been grown there to sell. In Guyana, people call it Sourie, One finger, Bilimbi, and Kamranga.
Growing Conditions
The bilimbi tree is a true tropical plant. It doesn't like cold weather as much as the carambola tree. It grows best in rich soil that drains water well. However, it can also grow in limestone and sand.
It prefers to have rain spread out evenly throughout the year. But it can also handle a dry season that lasts for 2 to 3 months. This is why you won't find it in the wettest parts of Malaysia. In Florida, where it's sometimes grown as a special plant, it needs protection from strong winds and cold temperatures.
How People Use Bilimbi in Food
Adding Sour Flavor
In Indonesia, A. bilimbi is known as belimbing wuluh. People often use it to make food taste sour or acidic. It can be used instead of tamarind or tomato. In the province of Aceh, people preserve it by salting and drying it in the sun. This makes asam sunti, a seasoning for many local dishes.
In the Philippines, it's called kamias or ibâ. You can often find these trees in people's backyards. The fruits are sometimes eaten raw, dipped in rock salt. They can also be cooked in curries or added to Filipino dishes like sinigang to make them sour. People also sun-dry them to keep them longer. It can even be used in salads with tomatoes, chopped onions, and soy sauce dressing.
In Costa Rica, uncooked bilimbi is made into a relish and served with rice and beans. In the Far East, where the tree first came from, it's sometimes added to curry dishes.
Other Culinary Uses
In Malaysia, bilimbi is sometimes made into a sweet jam. In Kerala and Bhatkal, India, it's used to make pickles and fish curry, especially with sardines. Around Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa, people often eat the fruit raw with salt and spices. In Guyana and Mauritius, it's made into achars or pickles.
In Maldives, it's called bilimagu. People pickle it with spices and eat it with rice and a local fish soup called Garudhiya. It's also used in other Maldivian dishes to add a sour taste.
In Seychelles, bilimbi is often used to give a tangy flavor to many local dishes, especially fish. It's used in grilled fish and almost always in a shark meat dish called satini reken. It can also be cooked with onion, tomato, and chili peppers to make a sauce. Sometimes, people cure them with salt so they can be used when they are not in season.
Bilimbi juice is very sour. It can be made into a refreshing beverage. It can also be used instead of mango when making chutney. Pickling the fruit helps to make it less acidic.
Important Health Note
The bilimbi fruit has a lot of something called oxalate. If someone drinks a lot of concentrated bilimbi juice for many days, it can be bad for their kidneys. It's best to enjoy bilimbi in moderation and not drink too much concentrated juice.
Other Uses for Bilimbi
In Malaysia, very sour bilimbis are used to clean special knives called kris blades.
In the Philippines, people in rural areas sometimes use it to remove stains from clothes.
In the Addu Atoll region of Maldives, the flowers of the bilimbi plant were commonly used in the 1900s to dye cloth.
Gallery
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Fruit
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Flowers
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Averrhoa bilimbi flower
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Bilimbi tree full with fruits
See also
In Spanish: Averrhoa bilimbi para niños
