Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi)

Belimbing sayur or bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi) is a plant species in the Oxalidaceae, up to 10 meters high, slender stems with a diameter of 30 cm, rough and bumpy bark, slightly branched and leaning upwards, young branches have smooth, velvety hair and are colored light brown.

A. bilimbi has compound leaves, pinnate, arranged in a double format and 20-50 cm long. Each leaf has 11-37 items, seated alternately or in half pairs, short stalk, ovate to oblong, pointed tip, rounded base, flat edge, 2-10 cm long, 1-3 cm wide, green and side bright green underside.

The inflorescence is compound and arranged in panicles 5-20 cm long. Groups, coming out of large branches, star-shaped and red or reddish purple. Buni fruit, oval in shape, 4-8 cm long, yellowish green, watery and sour in taste. The seeds are ovoid and flat. This plant grows in the lowlands with an altitude of up to 500 meters. Likes a place that is not shaded and quite damp.

The plant contains formic acid, glucosides, peroxides, tannins, saponins, amino acids, citric acid, phenolic compounds, cyaniding 3-o-h-D-gluosude, flavonoids, triterpenoids, oxalic acid.

The fruit is used as a sour taste in various foods and pickles. The fruit is also eaten raw or dipped in salt. The fruit is also used to make salads. Fruit can also be preserved by drying or made into jam. Fruit juice is made into a cooling drink.

Treating coughs, colds, fever, flu, insect bites, mumps, diabetes, overcoming allergies and phlegm, eliminating bad breath (halitosis), rheumatic drugs, canker sores, acne, high blood pressure, and toothache.

The fruit contains high levels of oxalate which causes acute kidney failure as a result of treatment for high cholesterol. The highly acidic fruit is used to clean knives and remove stains. Flowers are commonly used as fabric dyes.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Oxalidaceae
Genus: Averrhoa
Species: Averrhoa bilimbi

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