Okra

Okra was first domesticated in Ethiopia over 3,000 years ago, and is in the Malvaceae or Mallow family with plants like hibiscus, cacao beans, and cotton. It’s name however has origins from the Igbo word for the plant which is okuru as well as the Twi word, nkuruma. Okra is also known as gumbo which comes from southern Africa’s Bantu words ngombo, ochingombo, and quingombo which was shortened by French colonizers to gombo. You can learn more in our okra profile!