What is okra and what does it look like?

1. Morphological characteristics

Okra is an annual herb of the genus Amblythrum in the Malvaceae family. It can grow to 1-2 meters tall, with a cylindrical stem covered with thorns. The leaves are palm-shaped, generally with 3-7 lobes, and have hard hairs on both sides. The flowers are solitary in the leaf axils, with pedicels 1-2 cm long and 8-10 bracts, most of which are linear. The flowers are yellow with purple inside, 5-7 cm in diameter, and the petals are obovate.

2. Growth habits

Okra itself likes warmth and is afraid of severe cold, but it has good heat tolerance and usually grows well in an environment of 25-30℃. If the average temperature is lower than 17℃, it will affect its flowering and fruiting. The plant has a wide range of adaptability to soil and grows more suitably in places with deep, loose, fertile soil and good drainage. In addition, good lighting and ventilation are also important.

3. Maintenance methods

During the growing period of okra, it is necessary to maintain a high humidity, especially in summer, and sufficient water must be provided. It is usually watered before 9 am or after sunset in the afternoon. The roots are easily damaged under high temperatures. If the plant is given enough base fertilizer, it will be sufficient to apply appropriate topdressing at other times, but do not apply too much nitrogen fertilizer. When the seedlings emerge, fertilizer should be applied once, and urea is the most common fertilizer. Apply fertilizer to promote seedling growth once after transplanting, and use compound fertilizer as the main fertilizer. Reapply once during flowering and fruiting period.

4. How to reproduce

Okra is generally propagated by sowing. The time for sowing is mostly in spring. First, soak the seeds in water for a day, take them out, wrap them with wet cloth, and put them in a warm place to germinate. After germination, prepare for sowing. Generally, hole sowing is used, with 3-4 seeds in each hole. After growth, keep two plants and remove small and weak seedlings. Water once a week and fertilize when it grows to 50 cm in height.