Description
An annual crop plant grown for its edible, ridged seed pods, a member of the hibiscus/mallow family.
Medicinal Uses
Mucilage from the pods has been studied for blood-sugar and cholesterol management.
Food Uses
The immature seed pods are a widely eaten vegetable, cooked in soups and stews, valued for their mucilaginous thickening quality.
Cultivation
Grown as an annual warm-season crop from seed; a major vegetable crop across Nigeria and the tropics.
