Okra 'Clemson Spineless'

Sun

Full sun; choose a sheltered position with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight.

Water

Water deeply when the surface soil dries, keeping moisture reasonably even during flowering and pod production. Avoid waterlogged soil.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost; slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal.

Height

4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Summer to early autumn; pale yellow, hibiscus-like flowers with dark maroon centres, each usually lasting one day.

Foliage

Large, green, palmately lobed leaves on sturdy upright stems; leaves and stems may have irritating hairs.

Growth

Fast in hot weather; slow in cool conditions.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.16 m)

2. After 1 year

   4 ft (1.4 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant out only after frost risk has passed and soil has warmed to at least 65°F (18°C), preferably warmer.
• Space plants 18-24 in (45-60 cm) apart, with room between rows for picking.
• Water at soil level during dry spells, especially while flowers and pods are developing.
• Apply mulch after the soil warms, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Add compost before planting; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which encourages leaves at the expense of pods.
• Stake plants if they become top-heavy or grow in an exposed position.

Pruning. Routine pruning is unnecessary. Remove damaged or diseased leaves and cut off overlooked woody pods so the plant continues producing.

Begin checking for pods roughly 55-65 days after sowing in consistently warm conditions, allowing longer in cool weather. Cut pods when they are about 2-4 in (5-10 cm) long, tender and easy to slice, usually every day or two during peak production. Use scissors or secateurs and wear gloves, since even this relatively spineless cultivar can irritate skin.

Early spring

In short-season areas, sow indoors in individual pots about 4-6 weeks before the expected planting-out date; provide warmth and strong light.

Late spring

Harden off indoor-grown plants and transplant without disturbing the roots once nights and soil are reliably warm.

Late spring to early summer

Direct-sow in warm soil where the growing season is long enough; thin seedlings to their final spacing.

Summer

Mulch warm soil, water during dry spells and check young growth for aphids.

Summer to early autumn

Pick tender pods frequently and remove any that have become large and woody.

Autumn

Remove plants when cold weather ends production; discard diseased roots and foliage rather than adding them to home compost.

• Plant at the back of a sunny vegetable bed, leaving access on both sides for frequent picking.
• Use in a potager with lower-growing basil and marigolds for contrasting leaf shapes and flowers.
• Grow in a large container on a warm, sheltered patio where its flowers and pods can be seen closely.
• Combine with peppers and aubergines in a heat-loving edible border.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Edible landscape, Homestead, Southern, Tropical and Family-friendly.

Plant it with: Basil, Sweet peppers, Aubergines, French marigolds and Zinnias.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other pollinating insects, although okra can self-pollinate. Aphids may attract ladybirds and other beneficial predators.

• Poor growth or few pods in cool weather: use the warmest sheltered site, delay planting into cold soil, or grow under cover.
• Aphids on shoots and leaf undersides: wash off small colonies with water; use insecticidal soap if necessary, following the label and avoiding open flowers.
• Root-knot nematodes causing stunting and swollen roots, especially in warm soils: remove affected roots, rotate with locally recommended non-host crops, or use containers with fresh growing medium.
• Tough, fibrous pods: harvest smaller pods every day or two; pods quickly become woody in hot weather.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. The young pods are edible, but hairs on leaves, stems and pods can cause itching or contact irritation; 'spineless' does not mean completely hairless.

• Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

  Roselle often has reddish stems and develops a fleshy red calyx around a short seed capsule, rather than okra's elongated, ridged edible pod.

• Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus)

  Kenaf can have similar lobed leaves and pale flowers with dark centres, but usually grows taller and produces short, rounded, hairy seed capsules rather than long okra pods.

The species name esculentus is Latin for 'edible', while 'Clemson Spineless' refers to its development at Clemson and its pods having fewer irritating spines.

Propagation. Grow from seed. Soak seeds in lukewarm water overnight to help germination, then sow about 1 in (2.5 cm) deep in warm soil or individual pots. For seed saving, leave healthy pods to dry fully on the plant; crossing with other nearby okra cultivars can produce seedlings that differ from the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Abelmoschus esculentus

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

Native range

Bangladesh and India.

Measured

Average height 70 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.