It is believed to be originally native to the Maluku Islands of Indonesia[citation needed] but has naturalized and is common throughout Southeast Asia.

There flower is fragrant, corolla of 5 petals 10–30 mm long, yellowish green to reddish purple.

[5] The skin is smooth to slightly bumpy, thin, and waxy turning from light green to yellowish-green when ripe.

[3] The flesh is crisp and the juice is sour and extremely acidic and therefore not typically consumed as fresh fruit by itself.

In 1793, the bilimbi was introduced to Jamaica from Timor and after several years, was cultivated throughout Central and South America where it is known as mimbro.

[citation needed] This is essentially a tropical tree, less resistant to cold than the carambola, growing best in rich and well-drained soil (but also stands limestone and sand).

[7] In Indonesia, A. bilimbi, locally known as belimbing wuluh, is often used to give a sour or acidic flavor to food, substituting tamarind or tomato.

In Malaysia and the Philippines, bilimbi or kamias is made into a rather sweet and sour jam, with a flavor profile similar to prunes or plums.

In Maldives where it is known as bilimagu, it is pickled with aromatic spices and eaten with rice and local Garudhiya (fish soup).

Acute kidney injury due to tubular necrosis caused by oxalate has been recorded in several people who drank the concentrated juice on continuous days as treatment for high cholesterol.

The combination of both substances can also cause acute kidney injury when the fruit is consumed in excess, akin to the case with carambola.

[12] In the region of Addu in Maldives, the flowers of the bilimbi plant were commonly used in the 20th century as a cloth dye.