Okra, << OH kruh, >> also called gumbo or okro, is a plant cultivated for its immature pods. People eat the pods as a vegetable. Cooks typically fry okra or use it as an ingredient in stews or soups.
The okra plant is an annual and must be raised from seed each year. Gardeners plant the seeds in the spring. The okra plant grows 2 to 8 feet (0.6 to 2.4 meters) high. It bears rounded, fine-lobed leaves, and greenish-yellow flowers. The pods on the plant measure from 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) long. However, they sometimes exceed 1 foot (30 centimeters) when fully grown. People cook and can okra pods when they are young and tender.
Okra is native to Africa, but people eat it throughout the world. Okra is especially popular in the Southern United States. It is the key ingredient in gumbo, a traditional Southern stew.
