VegetableOkra
Perkins Long Pod Okra
Long Pod
Perkins Long Pod is a Southern heirloom okra that has earned its place in vegetable gardens and kitchen traditions for generations. This vigorous annual grows to about 5 feet tall and produces strikingly long, bright green pods reaching 8 inches, significantly longer than many standard varieties. Ready to harvest in 50-59 days, it's prized for tender, flavorful pods that make it ideal for canning and gumbos, delivering the productivity and quality that made it a favorite across the South.
Photo © True Leaf Market(https://www.trueleafmarket.com/products/perkins-long-pod-okra)
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
9-12
Sunlight
Full Sun
Preferred Temp75-95°F
Growth Stats
PeriodAnnual
TypeBush
Spacing
12-18 inches apart
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
—
Zones
9-12
Size
?in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
What sets Perkins Long Pod apart is the sheer length and tenderness of its pods combined with exceptional productivity. The bright green, 8-inch pods are not just visually impressive but genuinely tender and flavorful, qualities that make it stand out for both fresh cooking and preservation. As an old heirloom with proven vigor, it rewards gardeners with abundant harvests from a single planting, making it far more than just a novelty okra.
Common Uses
Perkins Long Pod excels in preparations where the full length and tender texture of the pod shine. It's particularly prized for canning, where the long pods hold their shape and texture beautifully, and for gumbos, where the pods contribute both substance and the subtle thickening quality okra is known for. The pods are equally excellent simply cooked fresh, their tenderness makes them delicious sautéed, fried, or added to stews.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Early Summer
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds into warm soil after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed thoroughly. Okra seeds germinate best in warm conditions.
Harvesting
Harvest pods when they are young and tender, while still bright green and before they become tough and fibrous. Pods reach their ideal 8-inch length relatively quickly; pick them at this stage for the best texture and flavor. Check plants frequently during peak season, as mature pods can become woody rapidly in hot weather. Regular harvesting encourages continued productivity throughout the season.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench
Family
Malvaceae
Genus
Abelmoschus
Duration
Annual, Perennial
Growth Habit
Subshrub, Forb/herb
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“Perkins Long Pod emerged as an old favorite in Southern agriculture, where okra has long been central to regional cooking and garden culture. Though the exact origins of this cultivar are obscured by time, its heirloom status speaks to decades of cultivation and selection by Southern gardeners who valued its length, tenderness, and productivity. The variety was preserved and passed forward precisely because it delivered on what home cooks and commercial growers needed, abundant, high-quality pods suited to both fresh use and canning.”