Anyone know what this is?

[SW58]

I asked my parents for some pots to grow stuff on when there were 4 dried pods of something. My dad says it's for something good, but he didn't remember what it was.

Since it looks dry, it's brown. There are black lines running down the pod (maybe a long-length fruit?).

Upon further inspection, the black lines are seem to be openings to access round, grayish seeds. There's eight of those openings. The seeds seem to be striped too, with brack-brown little lines

The pod is the length of about 1½ of my hand. And as wide as a section of my index finger.

I did search Google Lens and it said it's a drumstick tree but that one's seeds look different. Any guesses?

 

[SW58]

These are some pics of what the pod (?) and the seeds look like. I don't dare try pull the seeds out in case something happens (Never handled these types of plants before)

 

[Chuck]

These are some pics of what the pod (?) and the seeds look like. I don't dare try pull the seeds out in case something happens (Never handled these types of plants before)
View attachment 87494View attachment 87493

It looks like okra pods and seeds. Break open the pods and plant the seeds about 3/4 inch deep in the garden. Thin plants to 1 - 1 1/2 feet apart and give the plants about 1-2 inches of water per week.

 

[SW58]

It looks like okra pods and seeds. Break open the pods and plant the seeds about 3/4 inch deep in the garden. Thin plants to 1 - 1 1/2 feet apart and give the plants about 1-2 inches of water per week.

Oo, they look just like it! Thank you!

 

[Marck]

Greetings welcome to the Forums.

For those not familiar with Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), know that both the leaves and green unripe seed pods are edible, though the pods are the more well-known vegetable in western cuisine.

Okra is in the Mallow Family (Malvaceae), and like some other family members, it produces a mucilaginous fluid in its tissues.
This mucilage has given Okra a reputation for being 'slimy', but it is not so if prepared correctly. Dry-heat cooking methods (roasting, grilling, frying, etc.) will generally dry and break down the mucilage. For wet-heat cooking methods, cut the Okra into rondelles and cook with a generous amount of water (perhaps a soup or stew). This will dilute or drain away the mucilage.

Okra has been used as a food for so long that its exact origins are not known with certainty. It may be native to some or all of the following: eastern Africa, Madagascar, southern and southeastern Asia, Sri Lanka, Hainan, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea, and Queensland.

 

[SW58]

Greetings welcome to the Forums.

For those not familiar with Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), know that both the leaves and green unripe seed pods are edible, though the pods are the more well-known vegetable in western cuisine.

Okra is in the Mallow Family (Malvaceae), and like some other family members, it produces a mucilaginous fluid in its tissues.
This mucilage has given Okra a reputation for being 'slimy', but it is not so if prepared correctly. Dry-heat cooking methods (roasting, grilling, frying, etc.) will generally dry and break down the mucilage. For wet-heat cooking methods, cut the Okra into rondelles and cook with a generous amount of water (perhaps a soup or stew). This will dilute or drain away the mucilage.

Okra has been used as a food for so long that its exact origins are not known with certainty. It may be native to some or all of the following: eastern Africa, Madagascar, southern and southeastern Asia, Sri Lanka, Hainan, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea, and Queensland.

Thank you

I have eaten okra before, but the dried version just seemed so strange. And if I remember correctly, the seeds were white so it didn't cross my mind at all.

The sliminess really is unpleasant. My mum cooks it as stir-fry and the mucus makes it quite nauseous to swallow for people who can't handle tasteless things very well. It's fine if you eat it along with other dishes tho, since they might be able to mask the tastelessness.

As for other info in terms of gardening :
- Thrives in hot climates
- They prefer more neutral pH soil (6.5 - 7.0)
- Their mature size is 6 - 8 feet (1.8 - 2.4m)
- The okra's stiff leaf hairs can get itchy, so gloves & long-sleeved clothing are encouraged
- Once they start blooming, you can prune the pods every few days and more pods will grow (A 2 - 4in pod is best, or 5 - 10cm)
- Other than food purposes, they can also be used as decoration

Since I only do very small-scale gardening (little pots), I don't think I'm ready for a full-grown okra yet, so the extent I can grow for okra would probably be for microgreen purposes.

Source : https://bonnieplants.com/blogs/how-to-grow/growing-okra/