Okra, Lady’s fingers
Abelmoschus esculentus

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

There are about 15 Abelmoschus species. They are tropical and subtropical. It is rich in folates. Fruit are high in folates 109μg/100.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It suits the hot humid tropical lowlands but is unsuited to the highlands. It cannot tolerate drought. It is very sensitive to frost. It can grow in salty soils. They grow best where temperatures are between 20-36°C. It can grow well in dry climates with irrigation. It suits hot humid environments. It does best on well drained well manured soils but will grow on many soils. A pH or 5.5-7.0 is best. It suits plant hardiness zones 8-12. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Amazon, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Central Asia, China, Christmas Island, Colombia, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Egypt, Ethiopia (country/location of origin), Europe, Fiji, FSM, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Laos, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Moldova, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pohnpei, Portugal, Romania, Rotuma, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Eswatini, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Pods are eaten cooked. They are slimy, but less so if fried. They are also less sticky if a little lemon is added. Dried powdered seeds can be used in soups. It thickens the soup. They can also be pickled. Young leaves can be eaten cooked. They can be dried and stored. Flowers can also be eaten. Okra is frozen and canned. The seeds are roasted and used as a coffee substitute.

An introduced vegetable grown in a few lowland areas of Papua New Guinea but not yet common. It is an important vegetable in Asia and West Africa. It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Edible parts

Pods, flowers, seeds, seeds - coffee, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

They are grown from seeds. Seeds are easy to collect. They need high temperatures for germination (over 20°C) and a sunny position. Often seeds are soaked for 24 hours before sowing to give quick germination. Seeds are sown 1.5-2.5 cm deep with 2-3 seeds per hole. Later these are thinned out to one plant. Seeds can be sown in nurseries and plants transplanted. Pinching out the tops of plants when 30 cm high encourages branching. To select seed of a particular variety seed plants must be separated 400 m from other varieties. A spacing of about 90 x 45 cm is suitable. About 8-10 kg of seed are required for one hectare. Most kinds respond to fertiliser. Seeds do not breed true and can cross with other kinds of okra growing nearby. This is not normally a problem but simply means plants and fruit are not all the same.

Plants keep producing if the fruits are harvested regularly. Plants are ready to harvest 8-10 weeks after sowing. Seed yields of 500-800 kg per hectare are recorded. Pod yields of 4-6 tons per hectare occur. For young pods it takes 2-4 months from sowing. Pods develop 5-10 days after flowering. Pod harvests can continue for 1-2 months. Leaving pods on the plants stops new pods developing.

Its other names

Local names

A-koto, Angu, Apala, Asowntem, Baamiye, Baamya, Bakhua-mun, Bamia, Bami, Bamya, Bandakka, Bendi, Bhenday, Bhindee, Bhindi, Binda, Bindi, Bitantan, Bondo, Bup bap, Cantarela, Chimbombo, Dau bap, Delele, Delelemukhwayo, Derere muchango, Derere rechipudzi, Derere, Derosh, Dheras, Dherosh, Dongo dongo, Enmomi, Fetri, Gombaut, Gombo, Gumbo, Guro, Gusha, Hakuyot, Idelele, Ikhievbo, Ila, Ilasha, Ilo, Jedilni oslez, Ka fei huang kui, Kacang bendi, Kaganh lender, Kandia, Kandjie, Kataramas, Kiabo, Kingombo, Kopi arab, Krachiap-mon, Kubewa, Kugay, Lafeu, Lieka, Loka, Maana, Maatou, Ma-lontho, Mandande, Mesta, Molenda, Muomi, Miagorro, Naju, Nathando, Nkruma, Obori, Ochro, Okworu, Okwulu, Okwuru, Otigo-iwoka, Pahari bendi, Pingpesi, Poot barang, Pui, Quiabo, Quimbambo, Quimbobo, Saluyot a bunga, Sayur bendi, Taku, Tinoufanti, Tinoussante, Tsirandranjaza, Uisul hme, Vandakai, Vandikkai, Vendal, Wayika, Yonbade, You-padi

Synonyms

Abelmoschus bammia Webb; Hibiscus esculentus L.; Hibiscus longifolius Willd.; and others