Vegetable – Silver Queen Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) – Non-GMO – Organically Grown – Vegetable

Vegetable – Silver Queen Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) – Non-GMO – Organically Grown – Vegetable

Annual

Silver Queen Okra is a warm-season annual vegetable that thrives during long, hot summer days.

Full Sun

For the strongest plants and best pod production, plant Silver Queen in a location receiving 6–8+ hours of direct sunlight per day.

Full Description

Silver Queen Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a beautiful heirloom variety prized for its unusual creamy-white to pale ivory-green pods, tender texture and excellent flavour.

This vigorous, branching okra can grow approximately 4–6 feet tall, producing an impressive harvest of slender pods that can reach about 6–7 inches long.

For the most tender, delicious okra, harvest the pods young, ideally when they are approximately 3–4 inches long. Frequent harvesting encourages the plant to continue producing.

Silver Queen has a mild, delicate flavour and is wonderfully versatile in the kitchen. Enjoy the young pods fresh, grilled, sautéed, fried, roasted or pickled, or use them to add their characteristic silky thickness to soups, curries, stews and gumbo.

The plant itself is beautiful enough for an ornamental edible garden, producing attractive hibiscus-like flowers before developing its distinctive pale pods.

Days to Maturity: Approximately 80 days.

Growing Silver Queen Okra from Seed:

Okra absolutely loves heat. Warm soil is one of the most important ingredients for successful germination and vigorous growth.

For gardeners with shorter summers, starting seeds indoors is recommended.

Starting Indoors:

Start seeds approximately 4–6 weeks before your last expected frost.

For faster and more consistent germination, soak the seeds in warm water for approximately 12–24 hours before planting.

Sow seeds approximately ½–1 inch deep in individual pots.

Keep the soil warm. Okra germinates best in genuinely warm conditions, with temperatures around 24–32°C (75–90°F) being ideal.

Seeds generally germinate in approximately 5–14 days under warm conditions.

Provide seedlings with plenty of bright light.

Okra dislikes cold soil and frost. Wait until all danger of frost has passed and the weather and soil have thoroughly warmed before transplanting outdoors.

Harden seedlings off gradually before planting them into the garden.

Direct Sowing:

Silver Queen can also be direct-sown once the soil is warm and nighttime temperatures are consistently mild.

Sow seeds approximately ½–1 inch deep.

Space plants approximately 18–24 inches apart, with approximately 30–36 inches between rows.

Soil

Silver Queen prefers fertile, loose and well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter.

Keep the soil consistently watered during active growth and pod production, but avoid waterlogged conditions.

Mulching around established plants can help conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Harvesting

Begin checking plants regularly once pods start forming.

Harvest pods while they are young and tender, ideally around 3–4 inches long. Although Silver Queen pods can grow considerably larger, older pods eventually become tougher and more fibrous.

During peak production, check plants every day or two.

Frequent harvesting encourages continued pod production.

Stratification:

No stratification required.

Instead, the hard seeds benefit from being soaked in warm water for 12–24 hours before sowing. This softens the seed coat and can help encourage faster germination.

Do not cold stratify okra seeds.

Medicinal & Nutritional Properties

Okra has a long history as both a nutritious food and a plant used in traditional practices.

Okra pods are particularly notable for their natural mucilage, the soluble, gel-like substance responsible for okra’s characteristic texture.

Okra also provides dietary fibre and contains a variety of naturally occurring plant compounds and nutrients.

Scientific research has investigated okra and its mucilage for potential roles relating to digestive health, antioxidant activity, blood-glucose metabolism and other areas of metabolic health. However, these potential effects should not be interpreted as evidence that okra can prevent, treat or cure medical conditions.

Historically, different parts of Abelmoschus esculentus have also been used in traditional medicine for digestive complaints, inflammation and other purposes.

Silver Queen is sold by Bumbleseeds primarily as a nutritious edible garden vegetable, not as a medicinal treatment.

Quick Growing Guide

Botanical Name: Abelmoschus esculentus
Variety: Silver Queen
Type: Heirloom Okra
Life Cycle: Annual
Sun: Full Sun
Plant Height: Approximately 4–6 ft
Pod Colour: Creamy White to Ivory-Green
Pod Length: Up to approximately 6–7 inches
Best Harvest Size: Approximately 3–4 inches
Days to Maturity: Approximately 80 days
Seed Depth: ½–1 inch
Plant Spacing: 18–24 inches
Row Spacing: 30–36 inches
Germination: Approximately 5–14 days in warm soil
Stratification: None
Pre-Soak: 12–24 hours recommended
Soil: Fertile, warm and well-drained
Water: Regular, consistent moisture without waterlogging
Frost Tolerant: No
Pollinator Friendly: Yes

Seed Count: 15