Leaf
Pancrat · CC BY-SA 3.0
Okra
Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench
Also known as: Lady's fingers, Gumbo
Family: Malvaceae
1 to 2 m tall
Grown in vegetable gardens in hot climates, or under glass in temperate climates
Flowering: July – September
Full sun
Not hardy, needs considerable warmth, does not tolerate frost
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Okra belongs to the same family as hibiscus and mallow — its yellow flowers with a purple centre are easily recognised as such, and its fruit owes its mucilaginous texture to compounds used as a natural thickener in cooking.
🍃 Leaves
Large, palmate, with 3-5 lobes, somewhat rough
🌸 Flowers
Pale yellow with a purple centre, resembling those of hibiscus (same family)
🍎 Fruits
Long, elongated pentagonal capsule, green, hairy, harvested young and mucilaginous
🪵 Bark
Upright herbaceous stem, slightly hairy
🗺️ Distribution
Native to Africa; grown in hot climates, rarer in France outside the Antilles and Réunion
🐝 Value for pollinators
Large nectar-rich hibiscus-type flowers, attractive to bees
✂️ Horticultural uses
Vegetable fruit crop needing warmth, grown under glass in temperate climates
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Edible fruit; no known toxicity
🌿 Other Malvaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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