Be Kind To Pets, Vet case studies, Photography tips, Travel Stories: 3412. Ladies' fingers on 17 October 6 pm (flower seen) and 18 October 9 am onwards (fruit).

Botanical Name:	Abelmoschus esculentus
Family:	Malvaceae
Common Name:	Okra, Gumbo, Lady’s Finger
Origin:	West Africa
Leaf Colour:	Green
Flower Colour:	Yellow, red
Propagation:	seed
Description:	This plant can grow to a height of 2 m. The green leaves, on a long stalk, have 5 to 7 lobes with serrated edges. The flowers have 5 petals that are deep purple or red at the base. Flowers are either yellow or red in colour. Yound fruits are an up-right, 18 cm long. Arranged in 5 chambers. Young fruits should be harvested while still tender as older fruits become fibrous. When ripe, it turns brown and dry with light grey seeds.
Part Used:	Fruits, Flower buds, Flowers, Leaves, Roots, Seeds, Stems.
Used by:	Indians, Malays, Chinese
Uses:	As food - The leaves, flower buds and flowers can be cooked and eaten. Leaves are also eaten raw in salads or dried, ground into powder and used as a flavouring. Cooked leaves are also used as a soup thickener. Immature fruits are cooked as vegetables while still tender. When cooked, a slimy substance oozes out of the fruit. This mucilaginous property makes it ideal as a thickener for soup stews and sauces. When sliced, a cross section of the pod reveals a pentagon shape. The can be eaten fresh, pickled or dried. The fruits are a source of vitamin A, calcium and iron. Seeds are cooked or ground and used to make bread or ‘tofu’ or ‘tempeh’. The roasted seeds are the best of the non-caffeinated substitutes for coffee. The greenish-yellow, edible oil extracted from ripe seeds tastes and smells pleasant. Seeds contain 40% of oil. Roots are edible although very fibrous, mucilaginous and without much flavor. In medicine – The root is used to treat syphilis, cuts, wounds and boils. The fruits, flowers, seeds and roots are used to treat sores and difficult labour. The fruits are used to treat sore throats, painful urination and gonorrhea. The seed are used to treat muscle spasms and induce sweat, as well as a tonic and stimulant. other uses: The fiber from the stems are extracted and used to make sacks and ropes, as well as paper and textiles. Other: The hairs on the fruit may cause skin irritation in some people so it is advisable to wear gloves when harvesting the fruits