Okra is known as a Southern vegetable as it loves warm weather and grows easily in South. Other names by which okra is called: 'gumbo' and 'lady fingers'. Many Southern style dishes are made using okra, and the vegetable is widely used in ethnic cooking as well. Some traditional and famous dishes using okra as the main ingredient: Gumbo (seafood stew with okra), Callaloo (spinach and okra dish), and Frango com quiabo (chicken and okra stew, sometimes served with polenta or mush).

Edible Properties
Okra is mucilaginous, or has mucus-creating properties, and is sometimes described as 'slimy' when cooked over long periods of time. If freshly prepared, okra is great sauteed and deep- or panfried. Other cooking methods may be used if an acid is introduced to cut down on the amount of mucus that forms. Okra's properties makes it a good thickening agent for stews and soups.

Gardeners who grow okra appreciate the fact that okra's pods and leaves are edible. Okra may be eaten cooked or even raw if young, since the pod and seeds will be tough if left to grow large on the plant.

Okra Growing Tips

• Pick okra when young for two reasons: the pods will remain tender when young, and the plant will continue to produce pods. Once they begin to grow large, the plant stops producing fruit.
• The okra plant is very sensitive to the cold weather, and requires full sun.
• To encourage or speed germenation: soak the seeds a day before planting, or scrape lightly.
• Okra is relatively easy to care for: with lots of sun and regular watering, okra grows in all zones.

Varieties to Look For
Here are some okra varieties to look for when planting:

• 'Red River' - easily grown in containers, has a nice tropical look.
• 'Clemson Spineless' - spineless pods that are straight
• 'Annie Oakley' - short season variety (52 days)

Images above coutesy of USDA.

These sources were used:

Treasury of Gardening. Lincolnwood: Publications International, Ltd., 1994.

Sunset Editors. Sunset National Garden Book. Menlo Park: Sunset, 1997.