LADY'S FINGERS

Did you know that another name for okra is Lady's Fingers? 😄

I read somewhere that the name originated in reference to a slimmer variety of the okra fruits which look like dainty lady's fingers. Yes, I agree that they look like dainty lady's fingers but they look more like the fingers on a lepa shandy except perhaps, the pinkie on every lady's hand. 😃

And yes, even though okra is generally treated like a vegetable for culinary purposes, okra is technically a fruit - the okra pods which have seeds are formed from the pollinated flowers of the okra plant. 

So, Lady's Fingers made it to my home garden recently. I got the seeds from a special neighbour and decided to plant and grow them. Didn't know before now that the okra plant is quite a thirsty plant. Or is it just this specie? 😃

This specie grows to knee or below the knee level (depends on your height 😃) and then begins with the process of producing its fruits.

First, the flower starts to bloom in the morning; it opens up fully before or by noon.  It blooms for just that day and then closes up in the evening. The closed up flower falls off by itself about two or three days later to reveal the already formed little okra pod which increases in length and breadth as the days go by, up until you harvest it or it achieves its maximum growth size. All the flowers on one okra plant do not bloom on the same day. 

"Every okra has its bloom day." - Chetti. 😃

It looks like the red okra specie produces fruits in the same exact manner as the green okra. . .

Do you know the health benefits of the okra fruit? Care to share in the comments section?

This lady right here

is off to other matters 

with her fingers. 😃

Read me on the next post. 

Stay beautiful, 

'Zibah.