Author Topic: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola  (Read 4095 times)

snowjunky

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B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« on: January 04, 2020, 02:49:00 PM »
Do you like Bell, B10 or Sri Kembangan starfruit better? 
I only have space for one of these.  I like starfruit that has some flavor and sweetness. 
Sri Kembangan is good, but Kari is too soft for me.
I've not tried Bell or B-10.
« Last Edit: January 04, 2020, 05:34:21 PM by snowjunky »

tropical-farmer

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2020, 03:52:47 PM »
I would choose Sri Kembangan for the flavor and managable size of tree.
Satya

snowjunky

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2020, 07:53:06 PM »
So Bell and B10 have less flavor than SK?

murahilin

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2020, 12:06:34 AM »
Bell is my favorite cultivar. I think it has a good balance of sweetness and acidity. I also like the texture of the fruit, it's a little firmer.

I've tried around 10 different cultivars over the years.

skhan

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2020, 10:33:33 AM »
Out of those three id take Bell.
My top two are Bell and fwang tung

Mikey

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2020, 12:46:46 PM »
I have B10 at home.  It is sweet and firm at all stage of the fruit from green to orange.  My wife likes the sour one better because it have more flavors and goes greet in salads and spring rolls.  I live in San Diego and it grows fine.

snowjunky

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2020, 02:23:18 PM »
Starfruits do well here in Phoenix too with a bit of afternoon shade.  I was surprised because the leaves and fruits are kind of delicate and some people only recommend them for containers here for whatever reason.

johnb51

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2020, 02:24:09 PM »
I would choose Sri Kembangan for the flavor and managable size of tree.

I really SK too.  Very sweet and very orange when fully ripe.  But have never tried Bell or Fwang Tung.
John

fourseasonsflorida

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2020, 02:52:41 PM »
I have Kari and Fwang Tung and like both.  They are very different in color, shape, and flavor which is nice.  I can't speak to B10, Bell, or SK.  I would like to find someone in Central Florida who has those varieties so I could try them.
Nate

johnb51

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2020, 12:27:22 PM »
Maybe all starfruit trees are heavy producers, but I'd like to mention that my not-very-large Sri Kembangan tree has probably produced 150 lbs. of fruit since last summer.  And the quality and flavor have been excellent.  Crisp and juicy, too.  Just picked another bucketful yesterday.  What a workhorse of a tree!  Top honors to that tree, my Pickering mango, and my Alano sapodilla (which picked up roots and moved to Coral Springs).
« Last Edit: February 01, 2020, 11:54:42 PM by johnb51 »
John

mangomandan

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2020, 06:00:33 PM »
I like Bell a great deal, have not tried B-10.

canesgirl821

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #11 on: June 09, 2020, 01:03:06 PM »
Maybe all starfruit trees are heavy producers, but I'd like to mention that my not-very-large Sri Kembangan tree has probably produced 150 lbs. of fruit since last summer.  And the quality and flavor have been excellent.  Crisp and juicy, too.  Just picked another bucketful yesterday.  What a workhorse of a tree!  Top honors to that tree, my Pickering mango, and my Alano sapodilla (which picked up roots and moved to Coral Springs).

John, Do you still have this tree, or is it at the old house? I’ve seen in several posts that you’re fond of the variety; I recently picked up a small Sri Kembangan, curious what a “not-very-large” productive tree looks like.
Is it in full sun, or partial shade? Also trying to decide there to put it.  :)
« Last Edit: June 09, 2020, 01:06:00 PM by canesgirl821 »

johnb51

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #12 on: June 09, 2020, 03:36:29 PM »
Maybe all starfruit trees are heavy producers, but I'd like to mention that my not-very-large Sri Kembangan tree has probably produced 150 lbs. of fruit since last summer.  And the quality and flavor have been excellent.  Crisp and juicy, too.  Just picked another bucketful yesterday.  What a workhorse of a tree!  Top honors to that tree, my Pickering mango, and my Alano sapodilla (which picked up roots and moved to Coral Springs).

John, Do you still have this tree, or is it at the old house? I’ve seen in several posts that you’re fond of the variety; I recently picked up a small Sri Kembangan, curious what a “not-very-large” productive tree looks like.
Is it in full sun, or partial shade? Also trying to decide there to put it.  :)
Yes, the tree is still there in Deerfield Beach.  I planted it at the side of the house so it gets some direct sunlight each day.  I would cut the tree back regularly, or at least top it every year, so that's how I controlled the size.  Left to itself, the eight-year-old tree would probably be twenty feet by now.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2020, 05:55:46 PM by johnb51 »
John

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #13 on: June 10, 2020, 07:48:34 PM »
I have seen a Carambola tree around 60-feet tall.  What a mess it made!

My favorites are Sri Kembangan, Kajang, Fuang Tung, and Bell.  The flavors and appearances are distinct enough to merit having all four.  The Kajang and Fuang Tung are very delicate and short shelf-lifed.

If you manage them as shrubs, where every fruit is within reach of your hands, you can have three or four shrubs in the space that most people let one tree take.  So start with 3-gallon trees, not 15-gallon;  you will be way ahead.

B10 is respectable, and more flavorful than Arkin.  These are selected for commercial packing-house toughness and shelf-life.
Har

canesgirl821

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #14 on: June 10, 2020, 08:19:02 PM »
I have seen a Carambola tree around 60-feet tall.  What a mess it made!

My favorites are Sri Kembangan, Kajang, Fuang Tung, and Bell.  The flavors and appearances are distinct enough to merit having all four.  The Kajang and Fuang Tung are very delicate and short shelf-lifed.

If you manage them as shrubs, where every fruit is within reach of your hands, you can have three or four shrubs in the space that most people let one tree take.  So start with 3-gallon trees, not 15-gallon;  you will be way ahead.

B10 is respectable, and more flavorful than Arkin.  These are selected for commercial packing-house toughness and shelf-life.

Har, Thanks for your feedback. I just picked up a 3gal Sri Kembangan over the weekend that’s already flowering.  I love carambolas for their ornamental nature as well, such pretty blooms. It will be kept small and bushy, I’ll be aiming for 6 ft max. I’m confident that will make enough fruit to keep me, my neighbors and coworkers happy.  :D

Guanabanus

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #15 on: June 11, 2020, 02:42:29 PM »
Eight or nine feet is good, if the upper branches are still flexible and bend down with the fruits.  New branches going too straight up, can be manually bent and trained in an arch pattern.  When the upper branches get too stiff, cut them off.
Har

snowjunky

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #16 on: September 29, 2020, 07:06:19 AM »
I think Bell got the most praise.  Is Bell productive by itself without another variety?

TonyinCC

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #17 on: September 29, 2020, 07:11:29 AM »
Bell produces very heavily as a single isolated tree. No worries there. It has been my favorite.
My Dad has a Fwang Tung tree that produced mediocre fruit the first 6 years but has vastly improved in sweetness this year for the first time. That variety has the firmest fruit.  He also has a Sri Kembangan which was my second choice until this year's Fwang Tung improvement. His Kary is a distant fourth.
« Last Edit: September 29, 2020, 07:25:22 AM by TonyinCC »

Mvule101

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #18 on: September 29, 2020, 07:49:58 AM »
I would like to get a good variety of Starfruit (mine is very sour) . The problem is I live in Uganda and I have never seen any named varieties here. So when the Airways opens up, how difficult is it to graft Starfruit scions onto a half grown tree. Also how long can you keep a scion in transit and it still graft successfully?

If this is feasible I would bring back some scions from the US.

ryanscion

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #19 on: February 22, 2021, 11:30:46 PM »
I have B10 at home.  It is sweet and firm at all stage of the fruit from green to orange.  My wife likes the sour one better because it have more flavors and goes greet in salads and spring rolls.  I live in San Diego and it grows fine.

Hey Mikey I haven't been able to locate the B10 here in San Diego. Do you have any suggestions on where to find it? Also, do you do anything special to them during the winter months here or is it outside the whole time?


Mike T

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #20 on: February 23, 2021, 05:47:36 AM »
After trying many varieties and looking at evaluations I planted 2 varieties based on the taste of the fruit alone. These were B17 and Gian Siam and almost planted a fwang Tung as well. The two planted were very good and one had to volunteer for mulch patrol and that was the B17 that grew too big.

snowjunky

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Re: B10 vs Bell vs Sri Kembangan starfruit carambola
« Reply #21 on: April 23, 2022, 10:58:21 PM »
Sri Kembangan(orange) on the right, B10(yellow) left.
Sri Kembangan is much sweeter than B10.  Both grafted on the same tree getting same amount of sun.
My Bell tree is still small, but taste better than B10 already.
Sri Kembangan seems to be slightly less cold hardy, but I'm not 100% sure.  It gets chlorosis on branches that got cold damaged that but didn't die back.


« Last Edit: April 25, 2022, 02:55:05 PM by snowjunky »