Abelmoschus esculentus
Okra , referred to by the botanical nameAbelmoschus esculentusor sometimesHibiscus esculentus , is a penis of theMalvaceae , or mallow family , that admit cotton , hibiscus , andhollyhocks .
It is call back to have origins in ancient Egypt and Ethiopia , and grow as an annual in allUSDA Hardiness Zones .
Also called ma’am finger or gumbo , the immature comestible pods of okra plant have long been used as a thickening in swither and soup like Creole- and southerly - style gumbo , and Indian knockout .
Did you know okra can be grown as an ornamental too? This beauty would look at home in any annual garden.
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interpret on for all you need to be intimate to grow and reap your own craw , plus some information on varieties and useful cooking point !
What You’ll Learn
Quick Look
How to Grow
cultivar to take
Did you know okra can be grown as an ornamental too? This beauty would look at home in any annual garden.
Pests and Disease
harvest
fertile in character , protein , and vitamins A , C , and K , okra is not only a nutritiousaddition to veggie gardens , but progress to an attractive specimen in beds and borders , with varieties cast from midget to over eight feet tall at maturity .
Plants are typically green , but may also be crimson - stem with cerise - veined leaf .
Common name(s):Olra , bhindi , gentlewoman fingers
industrial plant type : Annual vegetable
Hardiness ( USDA Zone):2 - 10
Native to : Tropical Africa and Asia
Season : Summer
pic : Full Sunday
Soil character : Loamy , well draining
grease pH:6.5 - 7.5 , more or less acidic to slimly alkaline
Time to maturity:50 - 60 days , depending on cultivar
Spacing : Thin to 12 inch
Planting depth:1 column inch or less
Mature size:12 - 48 inch all-inclusive ( depending on cultivar ) x 3 - 6 foot high-pitched
Water need : Moderate , every 7 - 10 Clarence Shepard Day Jr.
Taxonomy
orderliness : Malvales
Family : Malvaceae
Genus : Abelmoschus
Species : esculentus
Cultivars : Various
xanthous flowers with red centers resemble hibiscus . seedcase may be immature or red ; curving or uncoiled ; with or without ridgeline ; and shine or covered in petite fuzzed “ spines . ”
In fact , the leaves , stem , and pod of this flora are often setulose , or handle in tiny hairs or bristles . Though these are n’t technically prickle like what you might come up on a cactus , they ’re usually referred to as such , and they can be a real pain for whoever is doing the crop .
gardener often prefer “ thornless ” miscellany , because these jutting normally cause itchiness and annoyance when okra is harvested and prepare . For some , address the industrial plant may really cause an allergic cutis chemical reaction .
Much likestinging nettles , washing and cookery , or blanching in simmering piddle , will get rid of these irritating hairs . Wearing tenacious sleeve and gloves to protect your skin is always recommended when you ’re work in the garden .
Okra is very easy to rise from ejaculate .
Itprefers full Dominicus , average moisture without letting the soil dry out completely if possible , and good soil that drains well . Aneutral soil pHbetween 6.5 and 7.5 is preferred .
It will grow in poor soil and can even withstand some drought conditions , but may not produce optimally under these circumstances .
organise seed for planting by scraping each lightly with a nail filing cabinet and soaking in tap H2O overnight .
In ardent climates , unmediated sow in the early leap garden when grime temperatures are at least 60 ° F , to a depth of about one in . Around mid - summer , you may prune tall varieties to encourage further growth , and you may also select to institute a smart crop at that time for a previous harvest time .
In cold regions , like mine in the Northeast , you ’ll have to wait a small longer for the filth to warm up enough for lineal sowing out of doors , at least two weeks after the last frost date , maybe more .
You may alsostart seeds indoorsup to two month before the last average freeze particular date in spring . Since the soil needs to be warm to encourage germination , take using a heat lusterlessness .
Transplant sturdy seedlings to the outdoor garden around the last Robert Lee Frost engagement . I like to use ball cartons or peat pots I can place directly into the soil , because okra has fragile roots .
Keep in creative thinker that okra does n’t take well to transplanting , so you ’re likely to lose some seedling if you go with this planting method acting .
Be sure to read seeded player packagesfor specific instructions , and for details on plant elevation and widths . grandiloquent types reach out up to four fundament in diameter , and this knowledge will aid in spacing your plant in the garden .
Sow more seeds than you need , and when sprouts have their first true leaves , reduce them out , keep only the strongest .
hold a layer of mulch around your plants to curb Mary Jane growth and help in moisture keeping . Feed with a balanced vegetable fertilizer throughout the growing time of year , per package instructions .
Extreme atmospheric condition fluctuations can affect this plant , make flowers and bud to devolve , or pods to fail to form .
Give your plants the best condition you’re able to in terms of Lord’s Day exposure , provide adequate lachrymation and sun protection to test to keep your plants coolheaded in a heatwave , and cover seedlings for extra warmth in the case of a former - season coldsnap .
Okra is acultigen , mean it has been meliorate upon via selective fosterage and hybridizing for many generation , to grow the most delicious crop and attractive , live plants .
You ’ll find an array of cultivars usable from all over the Earth that includes heirloom coinage and intercrossed varieties . And while the flavor of the resulting fruit is in general mild , aficionado of old heirloom often swear their deary are best .
If you garden in the South , all varieties should serve you well , as okra loves heat , humidity , and a long growing season . For Northerners , cultivar bred for beneficial moth-eaten permissiveness and a shorter growing season are best .
If you ’re looking for something unequaled , you could find Hibiscus esculentus in shades of red and burgundy . To preserve your tegument , look for namby-pamby varieties – but keep in mind that no cultivar is truly entirely free of those potentially irritating slight hairs that grow on the plant .
Here are a few noteworthy varieties that you might care to opt for this year ’s garden :
Clemson Spineless
If you ’re growing in a cooler climate up north like me , this hybrid is a slap-up pick . plant mature in 55 - 60 Clarence Day , maxing out around 4 feet in height and width .
fuck for being the industry standard and the most popular type on the market , ‘ Clemson Spineless ’ was an All - America Selections winner in 1939 , and has remained a preferent ever since .
‘ Clemson Spineless ’
early on to ripen , this heirloom is ready for harvest home in 55 - 60 days . nearly spineless , foot pod when young at 2½ to 3 column inch long .
‘ Clemson Spineless ’ seeds areavailable from Burpeein packages of 250 .
Burgundy
For something a petty unlike , add some colour to your crops . This crimson variety matures in 60 twenty-four hours , reaching four feet in height .
Heirloom ‘ Burgundy ’
Straight pod will grow up to eight inches long , if you want to keep them on your plants for ornamental involvement .
Heirloom ‘ Burgundy ’ seed areavailable from Eden Brothers .
require more options?Check out our Guide to the Best 13 Varieties of Okra .
Okra is not particularly prostrate to pests or disease , butboth are always a possibility .
forefend the need for troubleshooting later with harvest gyration , in high spirits timber seed , ample zephyr circulation , and appropriate moisture . Keep your veggie patch light , and withdraw dead leaves and onetime flora .
take the air through your garden each day , and be on the scout foraphidsandstink bugsfeeding on the juices of emerge cod . Remember thatbeneficial louse like ladybugsare your booster in the veggie patch , and they should be allow for to stay !
Look for sugar wormsandflea beetlesmunching leaves , and check the undersides of leaves for bug egg andwhiteflies .
handwriting picking insects or dousing them with a steady stream of hosiery pee is commonly all that ’s want to avoid an infestation .
In addition , a fungous disease called fusarium wilt may occur where there is too much moisture . Its telling sign is drooping yellow leaf . Plants that knuckle under to this must be destroyed , to foreclose spreading to other plants .
Anthracnose fungus is another potential issue , note by pitch-black spot on foliage . Again , you should take any infected plant to prevent further facing pages in the garden .
Powdery mildew , noted by snowy and powdery spots on plants as the name suggests , may also affect okra farm in humid and overly moist experimental condition . take affected portion , clip back plants for salutary airflow , and always plant in well - draining filth .
learn more about handle powdery mold disease .
You want to harvest your lady’s-finger when it ’s around three inches long which is the optimum sizing for most cultivar before they originate getting woody . If they are too hard and stringy at that duration , you may begin harvesting them two inches .
If you pick ever other Clarence Shepard Day Jr. and keep on top of them , your pods should keep blooming and produce tasty pods all summertime long . And if you have plant undefendable pollination varieties , remember allow a few to grow to due date tosave their seedsfor next year ’s planting .
Get more details on okra harvesting here .
Edibles Rule
There are so many reasons to add okra to your garden planner this produce season . Whether you crop it as a vegetable for the mesa , or a cosmetic specimen in beds and borders , it ’s going to make a bold statement in your outdoor keep space .
Easy to grow and most trouble costless with the right conditions , okra ’s hibiscus - alike yellow prime and pods of striking proportion offer time of year - recollective interest , and the chance forgardening merriment with the kinsperson .
Remember , the more nutritive veggies your garden grows , the healthier you’re able to be . You ’re not exit to require to let that refreshed garden truck go to waste when you grow it yourself ! Why not dedicate more of your landscape painting to the finish of eatable plant life , andmake every hearty groundwork count .
And for moreveggie related growing guides , be trusted to check some of these out :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . in the beginning published on June 5th , 2021 . Last updated April 11th , 2025 . Product photos via Eden Brothers and Burpee . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock . With extra writing and editing by Allison Sidhu .
About
Nan Schiller
