Cowhorn Okra
abelmoschus esculentus

days to maturity: 50 days
plant spacing: 2 plants per square foot
sunlight requirement: 8 - 14 hours
look out for: mealy bugs and russet mites
harvest notes: harvest daily when 7-9 inches long
season: fall, winter, spring, summer


Okra is an indispensable ingredient in many soups, gumbos, and stew recipes. The immature pods contribute unique flavor and consistency to ethnic dishes like Cajun gumbo. Okra is a tender annual that grows best in hot weather and can even thrive in our hot, humid and rainy sum- mers. The pods should be picked when tender and immature, however this unique variety has extra long pods, usually about 7-9 inches long. Keep pods removed to encourage flowering. Plants can reach 5-6 feet high and do not need trellising. A member of the hibiscus family, Okra has similar pest issues (a favorite plant of the mealy bug) and a beautiful edible flower. Candelabra Okra is a really unique heirloom whose bull horn shaped pods are actually more tender than smaller more
traditional varieties, a new favorite of ours after enthusiastically growing it this past summer.