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Megan Bame
Solanaceae
Solanum melongena 'Ichiban'
Eggplant, Ichiban Eggplant, Japanese Eggplant
One of those easy summer garden vegetables well worth the work, eggplant is a warm-season tender perennial that originates from Africa and Asia. The cultivar ‘Ichiban’ has an upright, bushy habit and fuzzy medium-green leaves. In summer it puts forth star-shaped lavender flowers with protruding yellow anthers, which are followed by medium-sized, elongated and curved, purple-black fruits. These are ready to harvest in 50 to 60 days after planting strong seedlings, or 95 to 105 days after sowing seeds.
Eggplants are best eaten sautéed, roasted or in casseroles and stews. Their skin can often be tough and leathery and should be removed before cooking. Fruits may become bitter with age, so it’s best to harvest them when they are young and have thinner, glossier skin.
Eggplant grows best in full sun and rich garden loam and should be fed and watered regularly. It is highly susceptible to flee beetles, which cause small pocked holes all over their leaves, but these can be managed using insecticidal soaps. If provided with care, ‘Ichiban’ will provide you with fresh fruits for your next moussaka, eggplant parmigiana, or stir fry.
12 - 1
10 - 12
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Vegetable
Full Sun
2'-4' / 0.6m - 1.2m
1'-2' / 0.3m - 0.6m
Indeterminate
Africa, Asia
Neutral
Well Drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
Very Fast
Average Water
Clump-Forming
Summer, Fall
Showy
Lavender
White, Purple, Plum, Black
Green
No
Yes
Single
Medium
Matte
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
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