Learning to identify vegetables and their colours as a child was so simple. Tomatoes are red, peppers are green, eggplant is purple and an orange is… orange!

Growing up, I was quick to notice any variation in the colour of vegetables during my grocery runs at the mart. Hence, the crunch of purple cabbage or the colourful array of cherry tomatoes in brown, yellow, orange and purple shade would add to the sweetness and visual attraction to my mother’s salad bowl. The yellow, red and orange capsicum as topping, or even red radish being served on the fresh, raw salad platter would always appeal to me. And even after I thought that I have seen it all, I continue to bump into the ‘unusuals’.

This time, I found burgundy- and red-coloured lady’s fingers or okra. I had never seen one grow in my city, so my family took it upon themselves to grow the burgundy okra variety in our home.

Okra is scientifically known as Abelmoschus esculentus. The burgundy okra is considered to be one of the latest additions to the colourful variants of this edible vegetable, and is believed to have been discovered during the 1980s. Not only are the pods of this okra burgundy to red in colour (unlike the usual green shade), the stem, leaves, flowers and branches all have crimson shades within, instead of the green or white found in the usual variant we have seen.

Seeds of burgundy okra are just like the seeds of green okra. They are rounded, medium-sized, ball-shaped and greenish grey in colour. In Karachi and other areas hailing from zone 10, which have become warmer in climate, the seeds of the burgundy okra can be sown as early as mid-January, while in Punjab and other areas with relatively fewer warmer months, the seeds can be sown in mid-February. The burgundy okra plant thrives well in warmer regions.

Okra is a common go-to vegetable for many, but its burgundy variant can add to your meal’s aesthetic appeal

Caution should be taken while selecting the spot for sowing the seeds, to ensure that it is maximally exposed to direct sunlight. If sowing in ground, the distance between two burgundy okra plants should at least be one foot on either side. In case the plant is to be grown in pots or a grow-bag, the container size should be of at least 12-by-12 inches.

The young plant can be transplanted, but it is preferable to sow the seeds at the intended permanent position of the plant-to-be. In favourable conditions, the healthy seeds are likely to germinate in three days to two weeks. To further improve the chances of germination, the hard-shelled seeds of okra can be soaked in water overnight before sowing.

The soil and potting-mix should be well-drained and devoid of any hard stones or pebbles. The seeds of the burgundy okra should be placed at least half to one inch below the soil surface. It should then be covered lightly with a layer of compost and sprinkled with water, such that the soil gets moist. It should be ensured after sowing seeds that the soil does not get dried off till the sprouting of the seeds. Application of mulch and shades help in moisture retention. This should be continued until the seeds’ germination.

From germination to fruiting, the burgundy okra plant takes about eight to ten weeks. The burgundy okra plants are generally two to five feet in height. The plant should be watered daily, such that it drains off from the soil while maintaining it’s moist till night. Before the flowering phase, the burgundy okra plants should be supplied with nitrogen-rich fertilisers every 15 to 20 days. After flowering, the nitrogen-based fertilisers should be replaced with potassium-based fertilisers, with the same routine of 15 to 20 days.

Five to seven plants of the burgundy okra provide enough produce to feed a family of four, once every week. Even after cooking, the burgundy okra continues to slightly retain its burgundy colour, which makes the meals aesthetically beautiful.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, May 7th, 2023