Monday 10 August 2015

Growing Ornamental Okra Or Annual Hibiscus In My Garden

It has been a long time since I have last posted about my garden plants. During the hot weather, some of my plants have suffered heat stroke and have dried up. I have not been able to do much gardening during the heat wave and lately I have been slowly clearing the weeds and tidying up the plants and garden.
My Bauhinia plants have been in a sorry state and I have to cut off the dried leaves and branches till almost bald. Fortunately, my Bauhinia plants have started to grow back new branches and leaves once again. Hopefully they will grow back to their former healthy state with abundant blooms like before.
These were my Bauhinia plants before the heat wave. They were lush and full of leaves and flowers. My friends will look out for these striking flowers whenever they come to visit me. Last week, 2 of my friends missed my house without these striking orange flowers to guide them.

ORNAMENTAL OKRA OR ANNUAL HIBISCUS

Today I want to share about a beautiful flowering plant in my garden. A friend gave me some seeds which I have sowed and when the baby plants grew, the leaves looked like the usual okra or ladies fingers leaves but smaller in size.

This plant didn't grow straight up but started to branch out.

And the reddish pink colour of the flower was different too. It is so pretty!

But on a closer look, this does look like a hibiscus flower!

And the fruit does look like okra or ladies finger!

But it remained at this size, 1.5 inch and grows no further.

Puzzled, I posted up on Facebook and seek the help of gardening experts. A big "Thank you" to Annie and Kathy who helped me identify this plant.

With the ID provided, I did some searching on the internet. Some of the common names for this plant is Musk Okra, Musk Mallow, Annual Hibiscus, Ornamental Okra and etc. Its scientific name is Abelmoschus Moschatus.
The flowers are like Hibiscus, very colourful and attractive. The plants are grown as ornamental plants.

The stems, leaves and seeds are hairy.

The leaves are usually 5 loped.

The seeds are in short hairy pods, miniature replica of the edible okra.

Some sites claimed that the young leaves, shoots and unripe seed pods are edible but I am not sure about it.

The seeds were once cultivated for aromatic oil or perfume.

A dried, matured hairy seed pod with small black seeds.

Propagation is through seeds or stem cuttings. I have not tried the stem cutting method.

This is an all year round flowering plant and it grows well in moist, well-drained soil with regular fertilizing.

And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers
that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow,
He will certainly care for you.
Why do you have so little faith?
(Luke 12:28, New Living Translation-NLT)

41 comments:

  1. So sorry that you lost some plants during the heat wave while you were gone. Hopefully everything will return to it's former beauty with your care.
    I love that pretty blossom.
    Hugs,
    JB

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    Replies
    1. We were thankful for our friend who helped to water the plants, or else more plants would have died.

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  2. Hello, the blooms are so pretty. I love the hibiscus! Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!

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  3. Nancy despite heat stroke the plants look fantastic

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    1. Hi Gosia, I guess these are more hardy type.

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  4. Beautiful, Nancy! Here in Montreal, Canada, it gets extremely hot and humid and many of the flowers die, sadly. I have noticed, though, that the Hibiscus and lilies are able to handle the humidity and heat better than other flowers. Gorgeous photos! :)

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    1. Hi Linda, I guess this Annual Hibiscus can take the harsh weather well.

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  5. Your plants grow well. So beautiful. These days the weather is unbearable.

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    1. Hi Irene, only the hardy ones are able to take the harsh weather.

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  6. My flowers are up and down lately. My roses were beautiful for awhile but now I have these beetles in them so we've put this stuff on them and the beetles are dying now some hopefully the roses will come back.
    Have a beautiful Monday just like your beautiful flowers. See ya Nancy.

    Cruisin Paul

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    Replies
    1. Hi Paul, some of my roses and hibiscus are infested with the powdery pest and I have to cut the branches off.

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  7. Beautiful plant, sorry to hear about the heat wave killing some of your beautiful garden now that you are back hopefully it will start to return to its former glory.

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    Replies
    1. Hopefully with some rain the plants will grow back beautifully again.

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  8. Oh my, you must have gold hands, it takes such an effort to grow a plant and you succeed every time!

    Tanya
    www.StripesNVibes.com
    BlogLovin

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha...not gold hands but mostly I am just being blessed. They are some that do not do well.

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  9. It takes great effort, so keep it up. Greetings!

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  10. Ornamental okra, that's a new one for me! Tom The Backroads Traveller

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  11. I still love your garden even though the heat was very hard on some of the plants. You've a wonderful green thumb.

    Have a fabulous day Nancy. ☺

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    1. Thank you, Sandee. Have a fabulous day too!

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  12. What gorgeous hibiscus!

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  13. Very pretty!

    I don't have a green thumb. The only plant I wouldn't end up killing would be cacti.

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    Replies
    1. Hi William, Cacti are very hardy plants, I have some cacti with me.

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  14. It's been raining cats and dogs here in Penang for weeks. I'll send you the rain and you send me some sunshine. :)

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    Replies
    1. I think your rain has arrived here in Ipoh, its been raining these few days. I hope you are having some sunshine in Penang.

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  15. I like the flower, so nice and beautiful...

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  16. Oh, these are so beautiful! I have never seen either of them.

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  17. LOL on your friends missing your house without the blooming landmark!

    Interesting plant the okra/hibiscus. It could well be edible since both okra and hibiscus can be eaten.

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    1. Hi Stacy, I suppose they can be eaten when very tender. Have a blooming day!

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  18. Thank you, Gabrielle. Have a nice day too!

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  19. Nancy, the flowers are so cute and pretty! I would not have guessed that it is okra plant.

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    1. Hi Phong Hong, I am keeping the plant for its pretty and attractive flowers.

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  20. May your plants grow strong and healthy again.

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    1. Thank you, Mun. I hope so or else my friends will miss my house again..ha ha...

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  21. It really does look like a hibiscus flower - very pretty!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sharon. The colour is very pretty!

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