Bhindi / Lady's Finger
Abelmoschus esculentus
Also known as Gumbo, Okra
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Found in India
- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh & more
- Flowering
- Throughout the year
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Abelmoschus esculentus
- Genus
- Abelmoschus
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Native to
- Asia
- Distribution
- Cultivated in moist tropical countries including India
- Found in India
- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Mizoram, Telangana, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Delhi, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf margin
- LobedrecordedThe edge is divided into rounded or pointed sections that don't reach the midrib.“The leaves are 10–20 centimetres (4–8 in) long and broad, palmately lobed with 5–7 lobes.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Bhindi itself; the rest are typical of the Malvaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Yellowrecorded
- Fruit type
- CapsulerecordedA dry fruit from a fused ovary that splits open at maturity to release seeds.“The fruit is a capsule up to 18 cm (7 in) long with pentagonal cross-section, containing numerous seeds.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Solitary
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Bhindi itself; the rest are typical of the Malvaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- भिण्डी Bhindi, ढेंड़स Dhenras, रामतुरई Ram-Turai, bhindi
- Nepali
- भिण्डी Bhindi, राम्-तोरियाँ Ram-Toriya, रामतोरियाँ
- Bengali
- ঢেঁড়স Dhenras, ঢেঁড়শ, ঢেঁড়স
- Tamil
- வெண்டை Ventai, வெண்டி, வெண்டிக்காய்
- Telugu
- బెండ Benda, బెండకాయ, బెండ కాయ
- Kannada
- ಬೆಂಡೆಕಾಯಿ Bendekayi, ಬೆಂಡೆ, ಬೆಂಡೆಕಾಯಿ
- Malayalam
- വെണ്ടയ്ക്ക Ventaykka, വെണ്ട, വെണ്ടയ്ക്ക
- Marathi
- भेंडी Bhendi, रामतुरई Ramaturai, भेंडी
- Gujarati
- ભીંડા
- Sinhala
- බණ්ඩක්කා
Bhindi in India
Okra, known across India as भिण्डी Bhindi (Hindi), வெண்டை Ventai (Tamil), బెండ Benda (Telugu), ಬೆಂಡೆಕಾಯಿ Bendekayi (Kannada), വെണ്ടയ്ക്ക Ventaykka (Malayalam), भेंडी Bhendi (Marathi), is a widely grown vegetable crop. Abelmoschus esculentus is cultivated across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, mostly in the warmer months.
Uses
The young green pods are eaten as a vegetable in countless everyday preparations — bhindi masala, sambar, gumbo-style stews — valued for their mucilaginous texture that thickens sauces.
How to Identify Bhindi
An erect annual herb related to hibiscus and cotton, with large lobed leaves. Flowers are pale yellow with a dark maroon-red centre, opening for a single day, followed by the familiar ridged, tapering green pods — best picked young, since older pods turn woody and fibrous.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Lady's finger called in different Indian languages?
- भिण्डी Bhindi (Hindi); வெண்டை Ventai (Tamil); బెండ Benda (Telugu); ಬೆಂಡೆಕಾಯಿ Bendekayi (Kannada); വെണ്ടയ്ക്ക Ventaykka (Malayalam); भेंडी Bhendi (Marathi); ঢেঁড়স Dhenras (Bengali); ભીંડા (Gujarati).
- Why does okra get slimy when cooked?
- The pods contain mucilage, a natural soluble fibre that thickens when cooked — prized in some dishes, avoided in others by high, fast cooking.
- Is okra related to cotton?
- Yes — both Abelmoschus esculentus and Gossypium species belong to the mallow family (Malvaceae), alongside hibiscus.
Malvaceae
Mallow/Hibiscus family
Bhindi belongs to the Malvaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Malvaceae
View all Malvaceae →Sources: GBIF — Abelmoschus esculentus (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Abelmoschus esculentus (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)