eggplant
Solanum melongena
MBG Plant of Merit 2019; MBG Plant of Merit 2020
USDA zones9 to 12
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles moderate to moist soil
Size2 to 4 feet tall1 to 3 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Habit
- Erect
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Purple
- Foliage color
- Green, purple/lavender
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a vegetable for food gardens, containers, and borders. It is typically grown as an annual. It is not cold-hardy and will not survive freezing temperatures. This plant likes full sun and average to moist soil of most types. Its purple flowers attract bees, and the erect plants reach 24 to 48 inches tall. The green and purple foliage looks good in a mixed border.
Pairs well with Pepper, Oregano, Borage, and Mexican sunflower.
Native range
China South-Central, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, and 2 more places. See all 6
China South-Central, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.