'Annie Oakley OP' Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus Origin: Louisa, Virginia Improvement status: Cultivar Seeds per packet: ~50 Germination tested 11/2024: 96% Life cycle: Annual We got our seed stock for these seeds from our great friend and grower Edmund Frost of Common Wealth Seed Growers in Virginia. The "OP" in the name stands for "Open Pollinated", signifying that this is distinct from the formerly common hybrid varieties called 'Annie Oakley' and 'Annie Oakley II.' It is effectively a "new heirloom," with seeds that can be saved each year to produce plants that look and act the same the next year. Edmund set out to de-hybridize 'Annie Oakley II' in 2017 at the urging of a Louisiana farmer named Edward Lenoir who specializes in okra. He relied on 'Annie Oakley II' for years because it's so productive and uniform, but it was suddenly discontinued. Edmund did not notice any of the "segregation" (diversification) you would expect from growing out F2 seeds of an F1 hybrid, and nor did we (growing his F3 or 4 se