Okra

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus Malvaceae), is a mallow plant. It grows fibrous pods full of round white seeds, which when picked young, are eaten as a vegetable. It was formerly considered a species of Hibiscus. The word okra is of african origin.

How to Grow Okra

Okra was brought to the United States via the African slave trade route, and flourished in the South. It can be grown throughout the South and into the Southwest and will tolerate poor soils (heavy clay) and intermittent moisture -- it only grows when there is available water, but can survive severe drought conditions in all but its seedling stage. Add the fact that few garden pests show any interest in the plant, and you have a great garden veggie.

Soak your okra seeds overnight before planting, then plant an inch deep in your poorest soil. (No rocks, please.) Plant when the ground has thoroughly warmed up, after your tomatoes are flowering. Germination ranges from six days (soaked seeds) to three weeks (dry seeds watered in followed by cool spell). Water seedlings well and they will reward you in their maturity. Okra is among the most heat-tolerant and drought-tolerant vegetables in the world.

The best okra, like almost all vegetables, is young and fresh right out of the garden. Okra gets very woody when it gets too mature, so be sure to pick often, even if you stick it in the refrigerator for a few days until you are ready to eat it. Okra is one of the most popular vegetables in late 20th century Japanese cuisine.

How to Cook Okra

Steam young okra pods until tender, either whole or sliced about 1/2 half inch thick. Smother it with butter. Okra can also be boiled with tomatoes, or fried in a cornmeal batter. Okra can also be the thickening agent in gumbo; it has the same mucilaginous properties as the pads of the prickley pear cactus (nopales) when cooked. It can also be pickled.

References

ITIS 21770