How do you identify an eggplant?

Eggplant (Solanum melongena var. esculentum)

Leaves are broad and slightly fuzzy with scalloped margins. Stems are prickly, especially near the leathery, green cap where the fruit attaches. Fruits are oblong to round and may be green, white, yellow, bronze, orange, purple or most commonly purple-black.

What is the maturity characteristics of eggplant?

Generally speaking, first harvest of eggplants begins 65 to 90 days from transplanting. Eggplants should be harvested when the fruit surface is glossy and tender and before seeds within the fruit become brown. Overmature fruit have a dull, bronze appearance and the seeds become bitter.

What is the texture of eggplant?

Its texture is firm and spongy when raw, and meltingly tender when cooked (especially fried, smoked, or braised). Wrinkled, loose skin is an indication of age, and the flesh of these eggplants may be more bitter.

What kind of vegetable is eggplant?

nightshade vegetable
The eggplant is a nightshade vegetable, like potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. It originally comes from India and Asia, where it still grows wild.

What’s the benefits of eggplant?

Eggplants are rich in fiber and antioxidants. A serving of eggplant can provide at least 5% of a person’s daily requirement of fiber, copper, manganese, B-6, and thiamine. It also contains other vitamins and minerals. In addition, eggplants are a source of phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants.

Why eggplant is called eggplant?

Well, way back in the 1700s, early European versions of eggplant were smaller and yellow or white. They looked like goose or chicken eggs, which led to the name “eggplant.” The eggplant has been around for a long, long time.

What does eggplant look like?

Though eggplant fruits are usually a beautiful dark purple color, they can also be white, pink, green, black, or variegated purple-white. Their size and shape varies as well, ranging from the large, gourd-shaped eggplants you’ll commonly find in stores to the more exotic slender Japanese eggplant.

Is eggplant healthy or unhealthy?

Eggplant contains a phytonutrient (plant chemical with nutritional benefits) and antioxidants, protecting from cells damage, supporting brain and heart health and a great source of fiber, copper, potassium and B vitamins.

Why are eggplants vegetables?

Fact: While it’s generally thought of as a vegetable, eggplant is actually a fruit. The eggplant, aubergine, melongene, brinjal or guinea squash is a plant of the family Solanaceae. Eggplant is grown for its usually egg-shaped fleshy fruit and is eaten as a cooked vegetable.

How long does it take for eggplant to mature?

When starting from seed, expect 100 to 120 days to maturity. July, August, and September (even into October) are all harvest months for eggplant, depending on where you live and the variety you planted. Don’t wait too long to harvest! Eggplant tastes best when harvested young.

What are the growth stages of eggplant?

The growth stage of eggplant are seeds, seedling, transplant, flowering, fruiting stage, and harvesting.

What is the maturity indices of okra?

Maturity Indices

Okra should be harvested when the fruit is bright green, the pod is fleshy and seeds are small. After that period, the pod becomes pithy and tough, and the green color and mucilage content decrease.

How long does it take eggplant to mature after flowering?

How long does it take for eggplant to grow after flowering? Depending on the variety and the region in which you are gardening, different cultivars of eggplant will develop mature fruit within 50 to 80 days after flowering.

What is the lifespan of an eggplant plant?

Most eggplant cultivars are grown as annuals and thus live for only a single year. In such cases, the plants die immediately after harvesting the eggplant fruits. Eggplant can be grown as a perennial, in which case it will live for about 3 years but this is uncommon.

How do you take care of an eggplant?

Eggplants do best when the soil is consistent soil moisture. Water regularly, especially when the plants are young so that they develop deep roots. Avoid overhead watering to prevent disease, but consider using mulch to keep soil moist, warm, and to keep weeds down. Generally, eggplants should get an inch (2.5 cm.)