PlantFiles: Okra
Abelmoschus esculentus 'Red Burgundy'

I've grown okra for years---varieties "North & South," "Jade," "Annie Oakley," "Cajun," "Clemson Spineless," and "Burgundy." Burgundy is the most tender of the bunch and the slowest to get woody and fibrous. Clemson Spineless seems to be the easiest to grow, at least here in New Mexico. I have had mixed success with Annie Oakley and Cajun. Sometimes those two thrive, sometimes they curl up their toes and die. This year is the first time I have planted "Jade," which produces a very plump, green pod and a sturdy plant but which turns tough quickly. You HAVE to pick Jade young.

ALL the okras hate being chilled. I start them inside (transplant carefully---okra isn't fond of transplanting), then move them to the garden with the tomatoes in May. Sometimes early May turns out to be too cold for okra. The weather is unpredictable at 5,000 feet. The stuff will die overnight if it's chilled. It doesn't have to freeze to kill okra. A cold, persistent wind will do it.

Eventually, the plants drop their leaves and quit producing, usually in mid-September. This corresponds to when we start having chilly nights though again, not freezing.

Prolific, BUT: It takes more than a week for the fruit to get 2-3 inches long, and 2 or 3 days more for it to get 6-7 inches long... you must be vigilant! @ 5-6 inches it becomes too fibrous to eat....

Nutritional factoid: 1 cup fresh (steamed) okra has more calcium than 1 cup of milk

Bred by Leon Robbins at Clemson University after eight years of careful selection. Attractive 4' plant with green leaves and burgundy stems, branches and leaf ribs. Tender 6-8" pods. 55-60 days.

Will be growing this for the first time this summer- will report back my results.

Very ornamental if you don't like okra, and prolific if you do. Pods are tender and tasty. They also seem easier to overlook than other okras; either that or they grow FAST. They can get fairly big without getting tough, at least if they have enough water.

Red Burgundy is a colorfull addition to a collection of okra. It is not as prolific as other cultivars, But both the plant (purple hues) and the pod redih purple) are quite ornamental. Of course it turns green when cooked or steamed.
The pod is ribbed with taste and texture similar to Clemson Spineless