'Iraqi Bamia' Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus Origin: Iraq Improvement status: Landrace Seeds per packet: ~35 Germination tested 10/2024: 95% Life cycle: Annual 'Iraqi Bamia' (which simply means okra) is a unusual okra compared to most popular forms around the world. The plants in this landrace variety will mostly produce pale-green relatively squat pods on medium-sized plants with relatively low branching, if any. Much of the diversity is seen in different leaf shapes, though the pods are mostly pretty similar. A few plants may produce darker green pods, but we did not collect seeds from the darkest couple plants in our 2023 growout to best maintain the typical character of 'Iraqi Bamia'. We're told it is most often made into a stew, especially with lamb, but it's great for pickling as well, and very tasty straight off the plant (though some are a bit "spiny"). For over two years now, EFN co-founder Nate Kleinman has been a member of a beautiful group of mostly Iraqi-American seed savers called the Iraqi Se