Eggplant at a Glance
Grow an array of eggplant varieties to add splashes of exotic shapes and colors to your summer garden.
December 2012/January 2013
By Barbara Pleasant
This chart contains a mix of open-pollinated (OP) and hybrid (F1) eggplant varieties (Solanum melongena) recommended for organic gardens. Learn more about organic eggplant cultivation in All About Growing Eggplant.
| Type |
Description |
Varieties |
| Oval to oblong eggplant |
Tall, productive plants that grow best where summers are long
and warm. Choose fast-maturing hybrids in areas with short,
cool summers.
|
'Black King' (F1), 79 days
'Rosa Bianca' (OP), 80 days
'Diamond' (OP), 70 days
'Rosita' (OP), 84 days
'Nadia' (F1), 67 days
|
| Japanese eggplant |
Elongated fruits are curved or straight, usually with purple to
purplish-black skins. Japanese eggplant is early and productive.
Tall plants need staking.
|
'Millionaire' (F1), 54 days
'Swallow' (F1), 51 days
‘Orient Express’ (F1), 58 days
‘Pingtung Long’ (OP), 70 days
|
| Small-fruited eggplant |
Fast-growing and less lanky than other varieties, these are great
for containers or small beds. Some varieties have attractive, purple-
blushed foliage.
|
'Applegreen' (OP), 65 days
'Little Finger' (OP), 60 days
'Beatrice' (F1), 62 days
'Purple Fingerling' (OP), 68 days
'Calliope' (F1), 64 days
|
| Novelty eggplant |
You can always find new adventures by growing eggplant varieties
that bear white, green or orange fruits. Some strains from Asia are
bitter, but the varieties listed here are not.
|
‘Casper’ (OP), 70 days
‘Kermit’ (F1), 60 days
‘Louisiana Long Green’ (OP), 75 days
‘Turkish Orange’ (OP), 75 days
|
To locate sources for these eggplant varieties, use our custom online Seed and Plant Finder.
Contributing editor Barbara Pleasant gardens in southwest Virginia, where she grows vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers and a few lucky chickens. Contact Barbara by visiting her website or finding her on Google+.