Candle Fire Okra
Abelmoschus esculentus 'Candle Fire'
Height: 4 feet
Spacing: 18 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Description:
This variety produces smooth bright red cylinder seed pods that are edible and visually appealing; great pickled, in salads or stews; texture ranges from crispy to soft depending on cooking method; great in the garden or large containers; heat tolerant
Edible Qualities
Candle Fire Okra is an annual vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces red pointy pods which are typically harvested when mature. The pods have a mild taste and a crunchy texture.
The pods are most often used in the following ways:
- Fresh Eating
- Eating When Cooked/Prepared
- Cooking
- Pickling
Planting & Growing
Candle Fire Okra will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. Because of its vigorous growth habit, it may require staking or supplemental support. This fast-growing vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop. While it is considered to be somewhat self-pollinating, it tends to set heavier quantities of fruit with a different variety of the same species growing nearby.
This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Candle Fire Okra is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
