Abelmoschus, Okra 'Little Lucy'

I am absolutely sold on this little plant. After having down-sized several years ago and moving into a little duplex with no room for a ...Read Morevegetable garden, I really missed my fresh veggies, especially okra. I found Little Lucy after an internet search and planted it down a flower bed the length of my front walk. It not only is beautiful, but has so many more pluses to it: excellent taste, no "okra itch", small size makes it easy to pick, and it lacks the woodiness that many varieties get. I have even been able to create beautiful and delicious fresh okra salads with it. The only drawback that I see is that it is a hybrid, meaning one must buy new seeds each year, and they are hard to find.

Ornamental, burgundy stems and fruit, yellow flowers...yes, but I found the fruit to be tough if left on the plant too long. Especially a...Read Morefter about 3". The fruit will grow overnight to 10" it...seems. I really didn't care for the fruit although the plant is beautiful and when grown in pots about 24-30." I never tried it in ground.

A Hybrid, Dwarf Red Okra. 55 days from direct-sowing.

Park's Seed Co. states that Little Lucy Hybrid begins its display w...Read Moreith 3-inch blooms of yellow and purple, arising very abundantly all over compact plants just 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide. The fruit follows the blooms -- large, attractive 4- to 4 1/2-inch pods of rich burgundy, which really stand out from the maroon-veined green foliage. Ideal for containers of all types, as well as the front of the veggie garden or mixed border, this plant is a true edible ornamental! Extensively trialed almost everywhere in the U.S.