Okra, also known as Ladies' Fingers, Gumbo, Okro, and Ochro, has been cultivated and used in various regions and by various cultures, for millenia. A member of the mallow family, it is closely related to flowering hibiscus. Its exact geographical origin is disputed, with supporters of West African, Ethiopia, Southeast Asian, and South Asian origins. Much scholarly research points to the Abyssinian Center of Africa, which includes parts of modern day Ethiopia, Eritrea, and part of Somalia. From their, cultivation spread into the Mediterranean regions.^[1] [ Click here for More Info ]