Okra Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Moench), is an economically important vegetable crop grown in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. This crop is suitable for cultivation as a garden crop as well as on large commercial farms. It is available year-round, with a peak season during the summer months. It thrives in warm tropical or subtropical climate and prefers well drained, rich light and heavy soils that include sandy loam, loam or clay soil. It is extremely rich in essential nutrients, minerals, vitamins so it is used in several traditional medicines as well as used in many food dishes as well since ancient time.
| Name | Okra |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Abelmoschus esculentus |
| Native | Native to Ethiopia |
| Common/English Name | Bindi, Gobbo, Gombo, Gumbo, Lady’s Finger, Ladies’ Fingers, Okra, Okro, quingombo, ochro, bamia, bamie, quiabo |
| Name in Other Languages | Mexico : Angú Angola : Ngumbo Greek: Bamia Italian : Gombo Benin : Fétri ( Adja ) Japanese : Okura Hebrew : Bamiya Burkina Faso : Gombo Niger-Congo : Kingombo ( Bantu ) Chinese : Ka Fei Kui Polish : Czyli Okra Danish : Abelmoskus Papiamento : Guiambo Dutch : Okra Senegal : Ñaod ( Badyara ) Egypt : Bamya Nepal : Ram Toriya Arabic : Bâmiyah Ivory Coast : Eponoufa ( Aboure ) French : Bamie-Okra Argentina: Gombo Hungarian : Gombó India : Bhendi Turkish : Bamya Korean : Oh K’u Ra Indonesia : Okra Brazil : Quiabo ( Portuguese) Spanish : Bendee German : Bisameibisch Khmer : Poot Barang Laotian : Khua Ngwang Malaysia : Kacang Bendi Croatian : Jedilna Oslez Swedish : Okra Democratic Republic Of Congo : Umvumba ( Kinyarwanda) Burmese : You Padi Norwegian : Grønsakhibisk Ethiopia : Bamia Panama : Ñajú Ghana : Nkuruma ( Asante-Twi ) Zimbabwe : Idelele ( Ndebele ) Morocco : Mlûhiya ( Moroccan ) Cameroon : Ankoul ( Bamiléké ) Romanian : Bamă Togo : Gombo Nigeria : Okuru ( Igbo ) Russian : Bamija Dominican Republic : Molondrón Madagascar : Gombo West Africa : Nkruman Persian : Bamiyah Czech : Ibišek Jedlý Mozambique : Monhatando Vietnamese : Dau Bap Portuguese : Quiabo Sierra Leone : Okro ( Krio ) Belgium : Ketmie Comestible Eastonian : Söödav Muskushibisk Niger : Gombo Thai : Krachiap-Khieo Philippines : Okra |
| Plant Growth Habit | Annual, tropical, erect herb |
| Growing Climate | Thrives in warm tropical or subtropical climate |
| Soil | Well drained, rich light and heavy soils that include sandy loam, loam or clay soil |
| Plant Size | 1–2 m high |
| Root | Deep taproot |
| Stem | Semi woody and sometimes pigmented with a green or reddish tinges color. It is erect, variable in branching, with many short branches that are attached to thick semi woody stem. |
| Leaf | 10–20 cm long, cordate (heart-shaped), simple and broad, palmately lobed with 5–7 lobes and is dark green in color and resembles a maple leaf. |
| Flower | 4–8 cm in diameter, with five white to yellow petals, often with a red or purple spot at the base of each petal. |
| Fruit Shape & Size | Cylindrical capsule, 5–35 cm long, with longitudinal ribs down its length, hispid covered with fine hairs |
| Fruit Color | Yellowish green to green, but is sometimes purple or white. |
| Flavor/Aroma | Flavor somewhat like a cross between asparagus and eggplant. |
| Seed | Oval, smooth, Globular-reniform, 3–6 mm diameter, dark brown or dark grey, tuberculate seeds. |
| Varieties/Types | Specialty Okra, Red Burgundy Okra, Silver Queen Okra, Star of David Okra, Alabama Red Okra, Cow Horn Okra, Hill Country Heirloom Red Okra, Burmese Okra, Jade Okra, Emerald Okra, Chinese okra, Purple Okra, Louisiana Short Okra |
| Major Nutrition | Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 64 µg (53.33%) Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 26.1 mg (29.00%) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.299 mg (23.00%) Manganese, Mn 0.47 mg (20.43%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 74 µg (18.50%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) 0.211 mg (17.58%) Copper, Cu 0.136 mg (15.11%) Magnesium, Mg 58 mg (13.81%) Calcium, Ca 123 mg (12.30%) Total dietary Fiber 4 g (10.53%) |
| Health Benefits |
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| Calories in 1cup (100gm) | 35 Kcal |