The edible part of the plant is the immature seed pod, which is shaped like a rocket and pointed at the top. This warm season vegetable originates from tropical Asia. Okra is used in cooking to flavor and thicken soups and gumbos, but it is primarily consumed pickled, sautéed, steamed or batter-fried.
Is okra a root vegetable?
This velvety green fruit which is again mistaken to be a vegetable is a fruit. Okra also known as the lady’s finger is a flowering plant with edible seed pods.
Is okra a fruit or vegetable?
Sometimes called “lady’s finger,” okra is a flowering plant with edible seed pods. It grows best in warm climates and is often cultivated in Africa and South Asia. Though technically a fruit, okra often gets used like a vegetable in cooking. You might be familiar with okra as an ingredient in gumbo, for example.
What is a piece of okra called?
Back to Top. Okra is the seed pod of the Abelmoschus esculentus plant. It’s filled with tiny white seeds and is sometimes called lady’s fingers due to its long, slender, tubelike shape.
Is okra complete or incomplete flower?
A complete flower contains all four parts. If only one of the essential organs is present in a flower, it is called an incomplete flower.
The Pollination Process.
| Table 1. Approximate Time from Pollination to Market Maturity Under Warm Growing Conditions | |
|---|---|
| Vegetable | Time to Market Maturity (days) |
| Okra | 4-6 |
What type of vegetable is okra?
Okra (also known as gumbo), is a tall-growing, warm-season, annual vegetable from the same family as hollyhock, rose of Sharon and hibiscus. The immature pods are used for soups, canning and stews or as a fried or boiled vegetable.
What family of vegetable is okra?
family Malvaceae
Okra—also known as lady’s-fingers, gumbo, or bhindi—is the most important vegetable crop of the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It belongs to the genus Abelmoschus and family Malvaceae.
Is okra reproduce by seeds?
Sow the seeds one inch deep in rows that are three feet apart. The seeds generally germinate in two to 12 days. Okra will grow in many soil types, so mulch and fertilize as needed. Once the plants start to grow, thin them so they are spaced 12 to 18 inches apart.
Is okra a herb?
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus Moench, Hibiscus esculentis Linn), known in many English-speaking countries as lady’s fingers or gumbo, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. Okra is an annual herb that is widely cultivated for its edible green seed pods in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate climates.
What is another name for okra?
Okra or Okro (US: /ˈoʊkrə/, UK: /ˈɒkrə/), Abelmoschus esculentus, known in many English-speaking countries as ladies’ fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods.
Is okra a bean?
Okra is not a bean. Beans & peas are legumes. Okra is botanically speaking a fruit, as it forms when the flower is pollinated. The okra you eat is an immature pod.
Is okra a simple fruit?
The fruit of the Okra plant is a type of simple dry dehiscent fruit. Complete answer: The Okra plant is a flowering plant that belongs to the Malvaceae (mallow) family cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions of the world.
Why ladies finger is called so?
The slave owners must have become curious about these green pods, so elegantly shaped they would be called ladies fingers.
Is okra a flowering plant?
Okra, also known as “lady’s fingers” and “gumbo,” is a green flowering plant. Okra belongs to the same plant family as hibiscus and cotton. The term “okra” most commonly refers to the edible seedpods of the plant.
Is okra flower perfect or imperfect?
Examples of common garden plants with perfect flowers include beans, eggplants, lettuce, okra, peas, peppers, and tomatoes. If stamens or pistils are missing from a flower, it is imperfect, like cucurbit flowers.
What are the complete flowers?
A complete flower is one that contains all the reproductive (stamens and pistil) and non-reproductive (petals and sepals) parts.
Can you eat okra leaves?
If you dig “nose-to-tail” veggie eating, this vegetable is for you: the leaves, flowers and seeds are also edible. Young okra greens can be cooked like spinach or beet greens (or eaten raw) and the seeds can even be ground and used as a coffee substitute.
Can I eat okra raw?
Okra pods can even be eaten raw. The less cooked okra is, the better it is for you. It’s high in fiber, folate, antioxidants, and vitamins A and C. Slice off the stem, cut the pods into 1-inch pieces and give them a quick saute to reduce the green taste.
Why is okra good for you?
Okra Health Benefits
The thing some people dislike about okra—the slime—is part of what makes it good for you. The gel-like substance is rich in soluble fiber, known for its potential to lower blood cholesterol and be fermented in the gut, supporting the growth of healthy bacteria.
Who eats okra?
Today okra is popular in Africa, the Middle East, Greece, Turkey, India, the Caribbean, South America and the Southern U.S. It is not a very common vegetable in most European countries, except for Greece and parts of Turkey.
What’s the benefits of drinking okra water?
Rich in antioxidants
- Test-tube studies show that okra is a great source of several important antioxidants, such as quercetin and kaempferol, which may also be found in okra water.
- What’s more, antioxidants may protect against several chronic health conditions, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease ( 6 ).