Description
It is an aromatic and medicinal plant native to India in the Malvaceae family.The seeds have a sweet, flowery, heavy fragrance similar to that of musk (hence its specific epithet mosch, , tus, scientific Latin for ?, musk?, , ).Despite its tropical origin, the plant is frost-hardy.
Plant Specifications
*above specification are indicative only. actual dimensions may vary by +-10%
| Common Name | Ambrette Seeds, Hibiscus Abelmoschus, Musk Mallow, Musk Okra, Ornamental Okra, Annual Hibiscus, York Marathi - Kasturi Bhendi, Bengali - Kalkasturi, Latakasturi, Mushakdan, Kannada - Kasturi Bende, Kaadu Kastoori, Tamil: Kasturi-vendaik-kay-virai, Kaattu Kasturi, Telugu - Karpoorabenda |
| Maximum Reachable Height | approx a metre. |
| Flower Colour | yellow |
| Bloom Time | Okra requires a long warm and humid growing period. It can be successfully grown in hot humid areas. |
Abelmoschus moschatus care
Climate - Okra requires a long warm and humid growing period. It can be successfully grown in hot humid areas.
Planting distance - A planting distance of 60 cm x 30 cm or 45 cm x 30 cm.
| Watering | Watering - Subsequent at 4 -5 days interval are given to summer crop. |
| Soil | Will grow in any well drained fertile garden soil. |
| Temperature | Temperature between 24 c and 28 c preferred. |
| Fertilizer | Manure and Fertilizer - About 30 tonnes of farmyard manure per hectare (3 to 5 kgs per square meter) should be applied about two weeks before sowing 350 kg super phosphate, 125 kg of muriate of potash and 300 kg ammonium sulphate should be drilled in the row before sowing. |
| Harvest Season | Okra requires a long warm and humid growing period. It can be successfully grown in hot humid areas. |
Abelmoschus moschatus uses
Medicinal Use:
- It is an medicinal plant native to India in the Malvaceae family
- Different parts of the plant have uses in Ayurveda herbal medicine
- In industry the root mucilage provides sizing for paper; tobacco is sometimes flavoured with the flowers
Culinary Use:
- It is an aromatic plant native to India in the Malvaceae family
- Musk mallow seed oil was once frequently used as a substitute in perfumes for animal musk; however this use is now mostly replaced by various synthetic musks due to its high cost
- It has many culinary uses
- The seeds are added to coffee; unripe pods ( musk okra ), leaves and new shoots are eaten as vegetables