This is a plant related to the marsh mallow. It is native to tropical West Africa, where is has long been cultivated for its green pods or fruits, which are full of a sweet mucilage. The English introduced okra to Jamaica more than 200 years ago, recording its name as okro or okra, based on the West African name. The exact original is known, but would have been similar to nkru, the word for okra in Twi ( a language of Ghana). Green okra pods are eaten as a side vegetable, but their most celebrated use is to thicken the soups or stews known as gumbos.