Fauna
Plant

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus

Also known as Lady's Fingers, Gumbo, Bhindi, Ochro

Okra produces showy, pale yellow to cream blossoms with deep purple throats that open for just a single day before giving way to ribbed, elongated seed capsules. The stems and leaves possess tiny stiff trichomes and secrete mucilaginous polysaccharides that help retain moisture during hot summer droughts. Widely valued as a staple annual crop across tropical and warm-temperate regions, it thrives in prolonged heat that wilts many other garden plants.

CultivatedFloweringWarm-Season
Okra reference
Earth100 / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
  • Cotton Bollworm
  • Southern Green Stink Bug
  • Silverleaf Whitefly
ThreatsRoot-knot nematodes, powdery mildew, and freezing temperatures
HabitatsCultivated gardens, farmlands, and disturbed tropical soils
Life spanAnnual (typically 4–6 months)
Classification
  1. OrderMalvales
  2. FamilyMalvaceae
  3. GenusAbelmoschus
  4. SpeciesAbelmoschus esculentus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Harvesting: Wear lightweight gloves and long sleeves to avoid minor itchiness from the fine hairs on stems.
  • Flower Watching: Check plants in mid-morning to catch the delicate blossoms fully open before midday heat closes them.
Related species
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