Eggplant

Eggplant fruit

You would expect the fruits of the eggplant to be egg-shaped. In some cases this is true, but depending on the cultivar, many different shapes and sizes can be found.

Eggplant (also called Aubergine) is the fruit of a plant which is closely related to tomato, potato and chili peppers. Originally a tropical crop, it is now also sometimes grown in (heated) greenhouses in cooler climates.

Names

Scientific
   Solanum melongena
English
   Brinjal
   Egg-plant
   Eggplant
Dutch
   Aubergine
   Eierplant
   Eiervrucht
   Melanzaanappel
Spanish
   Berenjena
French
   Aubergine
   Aubergine brinjal
   Aubergine douce
Italian
   Melanzana

Taxonomy

Genus
   Solanum
Family
   Solanaceae
Order
   Solanales

Basic information and facts

Origin:

India and Sri Lanka

Distribution:

All tropical and subtropical regions, but main production is in China, India, Egypt and Turkey.

Annual, biennial, or perennial:

Perennial but often grown as an annual.

Flowers:

Flowers have white or purple color.

Leaves:

Eggplant leaves are lobed. Leaves are 10 to 20 cm long and 5 to 10 cm broad. The stems can be spiny and also sometimes leaves have spines.

Fruits:

In wild eggplants the fruit is rather small (size of an egg) but in cultivated plants the fruits can be much bigger with a variety of shapes, from round, to oval to elongated.

Climate and weather:

Eggplant requires a tropical or subtropical climate. It can be grown in temperate areas during the warmer part of the year. It cannot tolerate frost.

Pollination:

Height:

Eggplants are usually from 40 to 150 cm tall.

Spacing (close range):

45 cm between plants and 60 cm between rows.

Spacing (wide range):

60 cm between plants and 90 cm between rows. (spacing depends on cultivar)

Propagation:

Propagation: Eggplants are usually grown from seed. Sometimes graffting on disease tolerant rootstock.

Insect pests:

A major pest of eggplant is the fruit and shoot borer, a caterpillar that lives inside the stems (causing wilted shoots) or in the fruits.

Diseases:

Verticillium and some other fungal diseases.

Harvesting:

Ripe fruits are usually cut from the plant with a knife.

Uses:

Fruits are cooked, fried, baked, roasted, or used in stews. Raw fruits have a rather bitter taste.

Crop categories

Vegetables
Fruit vegetables
Food crops
Tropical crops
Subtropical crops

Pictures

Eggplant fruit