Fwang Tung Starfruit aka carambola

days to maturity: 1 year
plant spacing: 1 plant per 10 square feet
sunlight requirements: 6-14 hours
look out for: 
harvest notes: harvest fruit as it start to deepen in yellow color
perennial

Fwang tung is the most popular starfruit variety to grow in South Florida with good reason. This variety is HANDS DOWN the very most delicious starfruit you could ever grow. seriously. and because of its thin skin it isn't viable as a commercial variety, so you can only get it at a few local markets or if you grow it yourself. While other varieties can be watery and bland, with thicker bitter skins, this variety is super sweet, refreshing and juicy with soft easy to eat skin and no bitterness. Eating one of these starfruits (especially cold from the fridge) is like drinking a refreshing juice, but in fruit form. 

Starfruit is full of vitamin C, fiber, and they are low in carbs and sugars. Starfruits are anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and they are loaded with magnesium, which has been very popular in supplement form lately for its help with sleep and stress issues. With high levels of pyridoxine (Vitamin B6), folate, and riboflavin, star fruit can influence the metabolic processes and make it a little more efficient. 

People with kidney issues should avoid starfruit because of its high levels of oxalic acid. 

Starfruit is also a very easy to grow tree, that will produce lots of fruit for you even when young. If new leaves start to yellow or exhibit chlorosis consider feeding your tree a fruit tree blend of minerals, including iron. Starfruit will flower and set fruit twice a year down in South Florida, once around Thanksgiving/ Christmas and once in early summer.