![]() ![]() Small, white seeds form in the cross-section of the five- to six-sided pods. The fruit can be light green, dark green, yellow or even red, depending on variety. These quickly develop into 10 to 20cm-long tapering ones. From July, pretty flowers in white to light yellow or even purple appear on the leaf axils. Large leaves on long stalks grow at the nodes of the stems. The stems of the plant are light green to reddish and covered with hairs. Okra is an annual plant and can grow up to two metres in height under optimal conditions. A close relative of the hibiscus, the okra flowers particularly beautifully Today it is cultivated in all tropical areas of the world, the main cultivation areas being Nigeria, India and Pakistan. Okra then found its way to North and South America through the slave trade. From there, it spread rapidly across the entire African continent and continued on to southern Europe. Originally, the vegetable comes from the highlands of Ethiopia. Okra is one of the oldest crops on earth – it is said to have been cultivated 4000 years ago. In traditional medicine, they are even used to treat stomach irritation. In terms of taste, the pods of okra are similar to green beans and are not only delicious, but also low in calories and good for digestion. It is considered even more difficult to grow in our latitudes than, for example, peppers ( Capsicum) or aubergine ( Solanum melongena). If it is not warm and sunny enough, the cultivation of okra will not be successful. This may also be due to the fact that climatic conditions in this country are not optimal for the tropical vegetable. Oil can be obtained from the seeds of the okra – they are even roasted and ground as a coffee substitute. ![]() For example, it is used in spicy curries, soups or chutneys. This pod with numerous names is valued as an important vegetable and used in many ways in local cuisine, especially in Africa and Asia. Other names for okra include gombo bean or okolo, Egyptian bean, gambo, gombo, Greek horn, green beak or hibiscus fruit. In Asia, it is called ‘Lady Fingers’ or ‘Bhindi’ because of its shape, but it is also known as ‘Quiabo’ in Brazil, ‘Quimbombó’ in Cuba and ‘Bamya’ in the Mediterranean. This delicious pod is known by many different names around the world. Incidentally, hibiscus ( Hibiscus) also belongs to the same family, which explains the beautiful flowers of the okra plant. Okra belongs to the bisameibia ( Abelmoschus) genus and is from the mallow family (Malvaceae). ![]()
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