(Eggplant)

Eggplant is an easy, warm-season vegetable that’s well worth the effort. Though perennial in its native Africa and Asia, most gardeners grow it as an annual vegetable crop. A healthy, mature plant has large, fuzzy, green leaves and an upright, bushy habit. Fruits are generally ready to harvest in 90 to 120 days after sowing from seed, or only 50 to 70 days when planted outdoors from robust seedlings.

The felty green leaves of eggplant sometimes have a purplish hue and appear on bushy, upright...

(Eggplant, Orient Express Eggplant)

The fruitful eggplant 'Orient Express' is heat resistant and bears fruit earlier than most. The long, thin, purple-black fruits are elongated, curved and best harvested when 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 centimeters) long. Fruits are generally ready to harvest in 58 days after planting seedlings, or 110 to 120 days after sowing seeds.

Eggplant is an easy, warm-season vegetable that’s well worth the effort. Though perennial in its native Africa and Asia, most gardeners grow it as an annual vegetable...

(Eggplant, Pingtung Long Eggplant)

Some gourmet chefs consider 'Pingtung Long' the finest tasting Chinese eggplant on the market. A disease-resistant variety from Pingtung, Taiwan, the fruit's flesh is very sweet and tender with superb flavor. The beautiful long, banana-shaped fruits are brilliant violet. Each matures 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 centimeters) long and is no thicker than 2 inches (5 centimeters). The harvest season begins 115 days after sowing seeds, or 65 to 75 days when planted from robust seedlings.

Eggplant...

(Eggplant, Purple Pickling Eggplant)

The 'Purple Pickling' eggplant originates from Japan but is favored by Italians for pickling. This eggplant's green leaves attractively contrast the dark purple stems. The oblong, pear-shaped fruits measure up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) long and have delicately flavored white flesh. Harvest 125 days after sowing from seed, or 90 days from robust transplants.

Eggplant is an easy, warm-season vegetable that’s well worth the effort. Though perennial in its native Africa and Asia, most...

(Eggplant, Purple Rain Eggplant)

The 'Purple Rain' eggplant causes neither sorrow nor pain for gardeners, only delight. It heavily produces purplish burgundy fruits with white flecks. The white inner flesh is mild with few seeds, if picked when no longer than 6 inches (15 centimeters). The shiny fruits develop on tall, well-branched, bushy plants that excel in warm weather. It continually flowers and displays fruit among the velvety green foliage. The harvest season begins 115 days after sowing from seed, or 66 days from robust...

(Eggplant, Purple Rain Eggplant)

The fruits of the 'Red Ruffled' eggplant, also called 'Hmong Red', may be the most beautiful in the world. The small eggplants resemble miniature pumpkins, maturing from gold to orange-red and finally scarlet red. In 19th century America, they were used by florists as decorative filler in autumn-themed arrangements, but in Southeast Asia the bitter fruits were used in traditional Vietnamese cooking. The 2 inch (5 centimeter) wide, flattened, ribbed fruits may be ready for harvest any time from early...

(Eggplant, Heirloom Eggplant, Rosa Bianca Heirloom Eggplant)

The beautiful white and purplish-rose eggplants of the Italian heirloom 'Rosa Bianca' are also some of the best tasting. The round fruits measure 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) in diameter and have white flesh that is spongy but firm and flavorful. Harvest begins 120 to 130 days after sowing seeds, or 75 to 85 days if starting from seedling transplants.

Eggplant is an easy, warm-season vegetable that’s well worth the effort. Though perennial in its native Africa and Asia, most...

(Eggplant, Heirloom Eggplant, Thai Green Heirloom Eggplant)

An heirloom eggplant from Thailand, 'Thai Green', may also be sold under the descriptive names of 'Thai Long Green' or 'Green Elephant Tusk'. Whatever its moniker, this eggplant is drought tolerant and prolific producing slender fruits with skin the color of unripe bananas. Each fruit matures 10 to 12 inches (26 to 30 centimeters) long and has tender skin that doesn't need to be peeled before eating. The flesh is white and delicately flavored. Harvest begins 128 days after sowing seeds, or 80 to...

(Eggplant, Udumalapet Eggplant)

Sometimes sold by a seemingly easier-to-pronounce name 'Udmalbet', the 'Udumalapet' eggplant produces edible but extremely ornate fruits. This Indian heirloom originated in a Tamil village. The elongated egg-shaped fruits measure 2 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) long, but are best eaten when about 3 inches (8 centimeters). Use them in chutney or Asian curry dishes. At the ideal harvest size, these eggplants are royal purple with random white streaks. As fruits mature further, they become larger...

(Eggplant, Vittoria Eggplant)

The glossy, cylindrical fruits of ‘Vittoria’ are evenly shaped, firm and purple-black. This vigorous cultivar is fruitful and resistant to TMV (tobacco mosaic virus). The medium-sized plants are bushy and produce fruits 65 to 75 days after planting seedlings, or 110 to 120 days after sowing seeds.

Eggplant is an easy, warm-season vegetable that’s well worth the effort. Though perennial in its native Africa and Asia, most gardeners grow it as an annual vegetable crop. The felty green leaves...