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Star Fruit Seed Germination, Time, Temperature, Process

Introduction to Star fruit seed germination process (Carambola): Star fruit is a tropical fruit with a delicious tart flavor. The fruit is 3-4 inches long with waxy skin and 5 prominent ridges. And a cross-section of the cut fruit looks like a 5-pointed star. The Star fruit is also called Carambola, is a small to medium-sized tree that produces a juicy tropical fruit. Seed-grown Star fruit trees differ from grafted types because they take longer to bear fruit and their fruit could not be of the same quality. The ornamental value of their rosy flowers and evergreen foliage makes them worthwhile to grow.

Star fruit is a small tree with attractive foliage, produces large quantities of fruit and is ideal for the home orchard. Star fruit can be used raw as vegetable and ripe as fruit. It is a sweet-tasting fruit that possesses high nutritional value. From the time immemorial, the whole Star fruit tree is used as traditional medicine. The medicinal properties of Star fruit contain anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hypotensive, anti-oxidant, and hypolipidemic, antimicrobial, anti-tumor activities. It is effectively used in diabetes and also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. In this article we also discuss below topics;

  • Process of growing Star fruit from seed
  • Carambola seed germination process
  • Time to take Star fruit seeds take to germinate
  • How do you germinate Star fruit seeds
  • Process for germinating Star fruit seeds
  • Star fruit seed germination period
  • Star fruit seed germination temperature
  • Paper towel germination method for growing Star fruit

A guide to Star fruit seed germination process (Carambola)

Star fruit is the fruit of the tree with the scientific name Averrhoa carambola. The fruit is about 3 to 6 inches in length and the flesh color ranges from greenish-yellow to yellow and is crisp and tart in taste. It may or may not be loaded with 2 to 5 tiny edible seeds. The Star fruit name comes from the star-like distinct shape of this fruit when it is cut in a cross-section.

Seed selection for Star fruit seed germination

Ripe Star fruit contains up to 12 oval-shaped, 1/4- to 1/2- inches-long seeds. Only healthy Star fruit seeds with a dark brown, glossy seed coat must be used for propagation. The Star fruit seeds lose viability quickly, so plant them immediately after removing them from the fruit to increase the chances of success. No pretreatment or stratification is needed to sprout Star fruit seeds, but 2- to 3-day-old seeds benefit from a 24-hour soak in water to revive them.

Star fruit hails from the tropics and available in markets throughout the year. The seeds will germinate year-round, although they take only one week in summer and 2 to 3 weeks in winter. No matter the time of year, start the seeds indoors so their germination conditions can be more easily monitored.

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Star fruit seedling.
Star fruit seedling.

There are usually no more than 10 to 12 seeds per fruit and sometimes none. Star fruit seeds are edible, ¼ to ½ inch (0.6–1.3 cm) long, thin, light brown, and enclosed by a gelatinous aril. Star fruit seeds lose viability in a few days after removal from fruit.

Star fruit tree pollination

All the flowers on a given Star fruit variety have either long or short styles; this condition is called heterostyly. Some Star fruit cultivars may require cross-pollination (short-styled by long-styled cultivar or vice versa) for good fruit set and yields. Some of the Carambola tree varieties such as ‘Fwang Tung’, ‘Golden Star’, and ‘Arkin’ produce abundant crops when planted in solid blocks, indicating that the need for cross-pollination by opposing stylar types is not always required. Other tree varieties such as ‘B-10’ and ‘B-17’ produce more fruit when cross-pollinated with another variety.

Planting a Carambola tree

Proper planting is one of the most important steps in successfully establishing and growing a strong, productive Star fruit tree. The first step is to select a healthy nursery tree. Commonly, nursery Star fruit trees are grown in 3-gallon containers and trees stand 2 to 4 ft from the soil media. Large trees in smaller containers must be avoided because the root system may be “root bound.” Rootbound root systems could not grow properly once planted in the ground. Choose a healthy tree and water it regularly in preparation for planting in the ground.

Star fruit germination practices

Star fruit seeds take between 7 and 20 days to germinate, depending on the season and their germination conditions. Summer yields faster results while seeds started in winter season or during unseasonably cool summer weather take longer. A warming mat will hasten results, but the soil should be closely monitored to ensure it never fully dries out. The seeds must be spaced out in a shallow nursery tray filled with soilless seed-starting mix, then transplanted into individual nursery pots filled with fresh soil after their first leaves form.

The spacing of Star fruit plants or Carambola plants

Usually, a distance of 8-meter x 8 meters should be maintained between Star fruit plants. Star fruit trees in the home landscape should be planted 20 to 30 feet or more (7.6 to 9.1 m) away from buildings and other trees. Star fruit trees planted too close to other trees or structures may not grow normally or produce much fruit due to shading.

Process of growing Star fruit from seed

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Growing Stat fruit from seed.
Growing Stat fruit from seed.
  • The Star fruit works well as an ornamental plant. In spring, flowers pink or lavender complement the light green leaves. During the summer of yellow fruit 5 cm long. First, fill up with the flood of the river of mud brick. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the stones and vase of flowers on top. This makes a damp, wet around the pot, the stars love the subtropical fruit trees.
  • Fill the bottle 1 inch below the rim with a link of fertile land. Star fruit requires a high concentration of nutrients they demand that develop slowly.
  • Press three times with a finger an inch from the floor, creating a triangle with 3 points, about 4 inches away. Put one seed in each hole and then cover it with soil. The water in the pot is slowly until the water level starts rising flood on the bar. This means water flows to the ground and in the shell. To avoid using a pipette to suck the excess water and from leaks.
  • Place the seeds in a collision chamber temperature between 18 and 29°C. You have sun almost all day and the seeds should germinate and begin to sprout in about a month.

Star fruit paper towel seed germination method

Star fruit seeds look like apple seeds in shape color and size. It is best to get fresh seeds off a ripe Star fruit, there are between 5 and 20 seeds inside. Wash the seeds and soak them in water for 24 hours. Now put them on a damp paper towel, cover with a second damp paper towel, and put the towel sandwich into a zip lock bag. Close the bag with some air inside and put it in a warm place. The seeds are slow germinating and should sprout within 2 weeks. Look inside the zip lock bag from time to time and discard seeds that got mold-infested.

Star fruit seeds after 2 weeks – Two weeks after placing the seeds into the zip lock bag the seeds have sprouted. Remove the germinated Star fruit seeds from the paper towel and plant them about 0.5cm deep into 10cm pots or suitable plastic bags filled with a good potting mix. Place the pots in a shaded area with no direct sunlight and keep the soil moist.

Star fruit Seedling after 3 weeks – After another week, 3 weeks after starting the seeds the seedlings have emerged from the soil and developing their first set of leaves. Don’t forget to regularly water the seedlings and maintain the soil moistly.

Star fruit Seedling after 4 weeks – After 4 weeks, Star fruit seedlings have a height of about 5 to 10 cm and have several sets of leaves. The trees start to develop fast now and there is not much to do except watering.

Star fruit Seedling after 3 months – At 3 months of age the Star fruit plants are around 30 to 50 cm high, they must be transplanted to larger pots with a diameter of around 25cm. If keeping them in too small containers for too long the plant leaves will wilt and fall off.

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Young Carambola tree after 6 months – At 6 months of age the fruit plants are around 70 to 100 cm high, they must be transplanted outdoors or transplanted to containers with about 50 cm in diameter. The top shoot must be pinched off to encourage the seedling to develop branches.

Process of seed sowing and germination for Star fruit

  • Prepare a 2-inch pot with multiple drainage holes for each seed. Then, wash the pot in hot, soapy water, rinse it and wipe it dry.
  • Fill each pot with a mixture of 2 parts vermiculite or perlite and one part sterile potting soil. Do not compact the growing medium too much as it won’t drain properly.
  • Sow one seed in each pot. Place the seed on the surface of the soil. Spread a very thin layer of medium over the seed, and then tamp it down lightly to increase the contact. Do not cover seeds with a thick layer of the medium; the seed must be visible beneath the medium, but still covered.
  • Set the pot on a propagation mat or top of the refrigerator anywhere where temperatures stay above 21°C. Drape a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over the pot to hold in humidity and do not seal the edges, and do not place the pot in direct sunlight.
  • Lift the plastic wrap every day and then check the moisture level in the growing medium. Water with a spray bottle if it feels almost dry on the surface, then place the plastic wrap back in place. Avoid overwatering and do not pour water into the pots because a strong stream can dislodge the seeds.
  • Watch for sprouts in 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the season. If seedlings don’t emerge after 3 weeks, the seeds are probably dead and should be discarded. Remove the plastic wrap and move the seedlings to a room with south-, west- or east-facing windows where temperatures stay above 13°C.

Harvesting Star fruit

Harvest your Star fruit are sweetest when they are allowed to fully ripen on the tree. Whether you’re picking Star fruit off a tree in the backyard or selecting fresh fruit from the market, here’s what you’ll need to know to find the best products for all these innovative ways you have for using Star fruit;

  • Choose fruit that has a yellowish-green color for fresh consumption. Commercial growers harvest Star fruit as it begins to ripen.
  • The fruit reaches its peak ripeness when the ridges are no longer green and the body of the Star fruit is uniformly yellow. And brown spots indicate over-ripeness. In-home orchards, gardeners can allow ripe fruit to drop to the ground and it can also be handpicked from the tree.
  • Store Star fruit at room temperature and fruit which has passed the peak of ripeness can be stored in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.

Common questions about Star fruit seed germination

Common questions about star fruit.
Common questions about star fruit.
Are Star fruit trees self-pollinating?

Star fruit is a rising star in the world of tropical fruit. Some tree selections are self-fertile, while other varieties need cross-pollination with another selection to bear fruit.

How long does it take for Star fruit to germinate?

Star fruit seeds take between 7 and 20 days to germinate, depending on the season and their germination conditions.

How long does it take to grow Star fruit?

Usually, there are a few Star fruits available throughout the year. Star fruit trees grown in wind-protected areas may begin to produce fruit within 10 to 14 months after planting. Generally, 10 to 40 lbs (4.5 to 18 kg) of fruit per year per tree can be expected during the first 2 to 3 years.

Can I grow Star fruit from seed?

Although best propagated vegetative, they will grow from seed. Star fruit seeds lose viability quickly once removed from the fruit and planted immediately to ensure successful germination. Then, you can store them for a while if you prepare and store them correctly.

Conclusion of Star fruit seed germination

Growing Star fruit from seed is very easy and commercial Carambola farming is viable and profitable. You may also like the Custard Apple Seed Germination.

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