More on the Little Green Pods

After coming to love okra recently, I started to wonder how it grows. Does it grow on a bush, a tree, small, large?

I almost hesitate to write about this since the Google string that takes the majority of people to my Blog is “How do lentils grow?” Now it will be competing with “How does okra grow?”

But just in case you too are curious about okra, I found an excellent site that will answer most of your questions.

Here are some things I learned:

– The Egyptians were cultivating it in the Nile basin in the 12th century BC.
– It first arrived in the Americas in 1658 in Brazil.
– Okra plants grow best from seed; they do not transplant well.
– The plants can become quite large, sometimes as tall as 7 feet.
– The plants produce large, light yellow flowers. They bloom for only one day and then each becomes an okra pod.
– The plants strongly resemble marijuana plants.
– Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, B6, and folic acid.

Check it out. But more importantly, go buy some okra and enjoy eating it!