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okra

Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench

Family: Malvaceae · Genus: Abelmoschus

lady's finger

Placenta I High No biomass production
Earth100 · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

African annual fruit-vegetable widely cultivated in Brazilian SAFs. EcoAgri lists it in the high stratum of the 'up to 6 months' bin (placenta_1). Grown in consortium with brassicas (kale low, broccoli medium) and corn (emergent).

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Placenta I
Ecological role
Pioneer
Primary stratum
High
Strata
High, Medium
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
High
Waterlogging tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
5.8–7
Preferred soil texture
Loamy

Morphology

Mature height
1–2.5 m
Recommended spacing
1 m
Root system
Taproot
Growth rate
Very fast
Lifespan
≤ 1 year
Time to first harvest
2 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Okra takes the High stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High · ≈3 m Medium Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

One of the most heat- and drought-tolerant vegetables; withstands clay soils and intermittent moisture but is sensitive to waterlogging (root rot) and frost. Loose, fertile, well-drained soil, pH 5.8–7.0. Germination needs soil ≥20 °C (6 days to 3 weeks). In Brazil sown August–March; flowering 45–60 days after sowing, harvest 60–75 days (every 2–3 days, 8–12 cm pods) for 60–90 days. Spacing ~0.2–0.3 m between plants × 1 m between rows.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: October, November, December, January, February

Fruiting months: November, December, January, February, March

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of okra?

The first harvest of okra comes around 2 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for okra?

The recommended spacing for okra is 1 m.

How tall does okra grow?

At maturity, okra reaches 1–2.5 m tall.

When does okra fruit?

Fruiting of okra occurs in November, December, January, February, March.

When does okra flower?

Flowering of okra occurs in October, November, December, January, February.

What stage and stratum does okra occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, okra belongs to the placenta i stage, occupying the high stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. EcoAgri — Organização de algumas espécies vegetais por tempo de vida (placentas) e estrato (Cartilha 'Liberdade e Vida com Agrofloresta') , p. 1 (primary_stratum, gotsch_stage)
  2. Wikipedia — Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) (ph_min, ph_max, drought_tolerance, waterlogging_tolerance, propagation, cultivation_notes)
  3. CPT — Horta: como plantar Quiabo (Abelmoschus esculentus) (phenology, time_to_first_harvest_months, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, cultivation_notes)

External references

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