Heirloom Organic Red Burgundy Okra Seeds

Heirloom Organic Red Burgundy Okra Seeds (10)

What Kind of Okra is Red? Native to Ethiopia, okra is the only member of the mallow family (which includes cotton, hibiscus and hollyhock) to bear edible fruit. Generally speaking, okra pods are green and a staple of many a southern diet. A relative newcomer, Red Burgundy okra was bred by Leon Robbins at Clemson University and introduced in 1983, becoming the All-America Selections winner in 1988. There are also other red varieties of okra that include ‘Red Velvet’ and the dwarf red okra “Little Lucy.” So back to the question “is red okra edible?” Yes. In fact, there really isn’t much difference between red okra and green okra other than the color. And when red okra is cooked, alas, it loses its red hue and the pods turn green. Growing Red Okra Plants Start plants inside 4-6 weeks before the last frost date for your area or directly outside 2-4 weeks after the last expected frost. Okra seeds can be hard to get to germinate. To facilitate the process, either gently crack the outer coating with nail clippers or soak them in water overnight. Germination should take place in 2-12 days. Space seeds 2 inches apart in rich soil, and about ½ inch deep. Be sure to amend the soil with plenty of compost since okra is a heavy feeder.

60 days — Under optimum conditions, 'Red Burgundy' okra, also sold as 'Burgundy' by some merchants, has attractive plants that reach four to five feet in height. Its beautiful, hibiscus-like, creamy-yellow colored flowers develop into burgundy colored pods that should be harvested at three to four inches in length, but remain tender to about six inches. The pods turn green when cooked. As noted, its plants are quite ornamental with burgundy stems, leaf ribs, and pods contrasting nicely with its green leaves.

'Red Burgundy' okra was developed by Leon Robbins at Clemson University in South Carolina and introduced in 1983. It was an "All-America Selection®" winner in 1988. Each packet contains two grams, which is about 30 seeds.