Photo: Cheryl McCleary-CatalanoCC BY 4.0

5 named cultivars

fruit vegetable

Eggplant

The Story

Plant Bio

Solanum melongena, the aubergine or eggplant, is a warm-season vegetable from South and Southeast Asia, grown as an annual almost everywhere. Erect multi-stemmed growth reaches two to four feet, with star-shaped hairy leaves on prickly stems, violet flowers that bumblebees work heavily, and the glossy fruit in purple, white, green or striped forms.

It needs more heat than tomatoes and sulks badly in a cool summer, so wait for warm soil rather than planting on the calendar. Flea beetles are the main threat and they hit seedlings hardest — cover new transplants with fine mesh until they are established, and the crop usually looks after itself from there.

Uses & Benefits:

Handsome grey-green foliage, violet flowers and glossy fruit in purple, white, green or striped forms.

A heavy cropper in hot summers, and productive in a large container where bed space is short.

Bumblebees buzz-pollinate the flowers, which release pollen only to vibration.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Fruit Vegetable

Height

30 inches

Width

24 inches

Light

Full Sun

Zones

Water

Moderate

Humidity

Moderate

Lifespan

Annual

Native To

South and Southeast Asia

Toxicity

Fruit edible; leaves and stems toxic

Planting

How to Grow

Start seed indoors eight weeks before the last frost.
Plant out only once the soil is thoroughly warm.
Cover young plants with fine mesh against flea beetles.
Give full sun and rich, freely draining soil.
Water evenly; irregular watering causes bitter fruit.
Pick while the skin is still glossy, not dull.

Pro Tip

Pick while the skin still shines — a dull-skinned fruit has gone over and the seeds inside will have turned bitter.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Wait for genuinely warm soil to plant out 🌡️
Mesh young plants against flea beetles 🕸️
Water evenly through fruiting 💧
Harvest while the skin is glossy 🍆

Don't

Plant out into cold soil ❌
Let it dry out and then flood it ❌
Eat or compost the foliage ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Harvest
Sow

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Warm-season vegetable bedLarge containers on a hot patioOrnamental edible planting

Companion Plants

Basil Pepper Marigold Bush Bean Thyme

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Eggplant questions

What zones can Eggplant grow in?

Eggplant is hardy in USDA Zone 10. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Eggplant deer resistant?

Not reliably. Deer may browse Eggplant, especially tender spring growth — plan on repellents or fencing where pressure is high.

When does Eggplant bloom?

Eggplant typically blooms in summer through late summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Eggplant need full sun?

Eggplant does best in full sun (6+ hours).