19 Excellent Eggplant Varieties You Should Know and Grow
From traditional dark-purple eggplant varieties to more novel shapes and colors, these selections are worth a closer look.
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Black Stallion (Sakata Seed America, Harris Seeds DBA Garden Trends, Inc.)
This traditional Italian eggplant performs well in all conditions, and offers a continuous set, throughout the growing season. Fruits are uniform in shape, 8 to 9 inches long with a deep-purple, black color. The upright plants provide good cover to developing fruit. ‘Black Stallion F1’ high yield and good holding ability made this variety a standout in our trials. Region: Well adapted. Matures in 65 days.
https://www.harrisseeds.com/products/eggplant-black-stallion-f1-seed?variant=52505778192747
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Bride F1 (Seeds by Design)
‘Bride F1’ is a white eggplant with pink blush that darkens when mature. It has a mild flavor, and few seeds. The average length is 8 to 9 inches long, plants are 24 inches tall. Region: USA. An attractive eggplant for fresh market. Matures in 75 days.
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Cook's Choice (Terra Organics)
‘Cook’s Choice’ is the perfect culinary blend, non-bitter with meaty flesh and few seeds. Region: USA. A popular choice for fresh market. Matures in 100 days.
https://seedsbydesign.com/products/eggplant-seeds-cooks-choice-organic
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Fairy Tale (PanAmerican Seed)
‘Fairy Tale’ is early maturing and a highly productive eggplant. It produces clusters of attractive white fruit with violet-purple stripes. The fruits are an elongated tear-drop shape. They're sweet and non-bitter with a tender skin and few seeds. ‘Fairy Tale’ can be harvested when very small or left on the plant until fully mature. They can be grown in a container (small space) or placed in the ground. Good for all regions. An AAS award national winner. Matures 50 to 55 days from transplant.
https://www.panamseed.com/Products/024400001014786/eggplant-fairy-tale/
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Gaudi (Pure Line Seeds, Stokes Seeds Inc.)
A firm fruit with bright-green calyx that is spineless, but under certain conditions, a few small spines can develop. This hybrid is good for field and Greenhouse. ‘Gaudi’ will keep it’s dark-black color, until it gets to an over mature stage. Region: USA and Canada. Matures in 75 days.
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Ghost Story (Rupp Seeds)
‘Ghost Story’ is a white eggplant that is smooth, firm, and heavy. It has a refined small cap that is usually spineless. The flesh is dense, bright white, and slow to develop seeds. Excellent early and continuous yields. Region: USA and Canada. Matures in 62 days.
https://www.ruppseeds.com/vegetables/products/eggplant/ghost-story
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Listada de Gandia (AP Whaley, Harris Seeds DBA Garden Trends, Inc.)
‘Listada De Gandia’ is a specialty white eggplant with striking elliptical egg-shaped fruits. They average 5 to 6 inches long, with white and purple stripes. Your customers will love its excellent flavor, tender texture, and a very thin skin (so peeling is not required). It performs well in all parts of the USA. Matures in 80 days.
https://www.harrisseeds.com/products/eggplant-listada-de-gandia-seed?variant=39983709814856
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Millionaire (Takii & Co., Ltd.)
‘Millionaire’ grows upright plants that produce fruit that weighs approximately 7 ounces (200 grams). This Japanese hybrid is shiny black with a purple calyx. It is suitable for greenhouse and field production. Region: Standard eggplant growing regions. Matures extra early.
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Night Shadow (Seminis Vegetable Seeds)
‘Night Shadow’ produces strong upright plants with firm, classic teardrop-shape fruits. It will maintain a rich, glossy black color right throughout harvest, giving growers a highly adaptable hybrid with high yield potential. Region: Northeast. Matures in 68 days.
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Picasso (Pure Line Seeds, Stokes Seeds Inc.)
A high yielding purple-black fruit with a firm, consistent shape, and uniform color. ‘Picasso’s’ high crown set for longevity in the field in hot conditions. This hybrid has a spineless green calyx, and can be picked young. Region: USA and Canada. Matures in 65 days.
https://us.stokeseeds.com/hybrideggplant-picasso-0420069.html
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Rosa Bianca (Terra Organics)
An Italian heirloom that grows 5 to 8 inch oval eggplants. ‘Rosa Bianca’ has a light purple color, with creamy shading. It has a meaty flesh with mild flavor. The plants are 30 inches tall, and non-bitter taste. Region: USA. A nice size for fresh market. Matures in 70 to 90 days.
https://seedsbydesign.com/products/eggplant-seeds-rosa-bianca-organic
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Sabelle RZ (Rijk Zwaan USA, Gowan Seed Company)
A traditional Sicilian hybrid type, which is very attractive due to the color contrast between fruit skin and calyx. ‘Sabelle RZ’ is flavorful and has an excellent texture for all gourmet preparations. Matures in 65 days.
https://gowanseed.com/collections/sicilian-eggplant/products/eggplant-sicilian-hybrid-sabelle-rz
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Shinkansen (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
Exclusive! Classic long Asian type eggplant with vastly improved germination, great seedling vigor, and high yields. Region: Widely adapted. Matures in 58 days.
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Shoya Long (Takii & Co., Ltd.)
‘Shoya Long’ has vigorous, upright plants that produce an abundance of very long, 13.75 to 15.75 inches (35 to 30 centimeters), shiny black fruit, with a purple calyx. They have excellent quality. The average weight is 8.75 ounces (250 grams). Region: Standard eggplant growing regions. An early maturing Japanese hybrid eggplant.
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Thanos (Pure Line Seeds, Inc., Gowan Seed Company)
‘Thanos’ is a spineless classic-shaped hybrid eggplant, with extra-dark color compared to similar varieties giving it a competitive edge. Ideal for open field cultivation exhibiting very high yields, superior quality fruit and a strong plant. Matures in 66 days.
https://gowanseed.com/collections/globe-eggplant/products/eggplant-hybrid-thanos
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Summer Emerald (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
‘Summer Emerald’ has a gorgeous, lime-green color, with outstanding flavor and tenderness. An excellent Asian culinary choice. Region: Widely adapted. Matures in 65 days.
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Traviata (Enza Zaden, Osborne Quality Seeds)
‘Traviata’ is a versatile Mediterranean eggplant that can be harvested at varying stages of development. It is beautiful and productive, ‘Traviata’ continues to produce uniform fruit even in less than ideal conditions. Matures 60 days from transplant.
https://www.osborneseed.com/products/traviata-f1-organic-eggplant-seeds
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Violet Delite (PanAmerican Seed, Osborne Quality Seeds)
‘Violet Delite’ eggplants are glossy with bright, purple skin and white, tender, non-bitter flesh (no peeling necessary). Plants are upright and semi-spineless for an easier and painless harvest. The elongated fruit can be picked young at 5 to 7 inches or left to fully mature at 9 to 12 inches long. ‘Violet Delite’ grows best in the ground or in a large container. Good for all regions. Matures in 50 to 55 days, from transplant.
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White Star F1 (Seeds by Design)
‘White Star F1’ has the classic white teardrop shape. It is sweeter and more tender than purple eggplant varieties. The plants are 36 inches tall, and high yielding. An atrractive eggplant at fresh market. Region: USA. Matures in 65 days.
https://seedsbydesign.com/products/eggplant-seeds-white-star-f1
View all
Black Stallion (Sakata Seed America, Harris Seeds DBA Garden Trends, Inc.)
Bride F1 (Seeds by Design)
Cook's Choice (Terra Organics)
Fairy Tale (PanAmerican Seed)
Gaudi (Pure Line Seeds, Stokes Seeds Inc.)
Ghost Story (Rupp Seeds)
Listada de Gandia (AP Whaley, Harris Seeds DBA Garden Trends, Inc.)
Millionaire (Takii & Co., Ltd.)
Night Shadow (Seminis Vegetable Seeds)
Picasso (Pure Line Seeds, Stokes Seeds Inc.)
Rosa Bianca (Terra Organics)
Sabelle RZ (Rijk Zwaan USA, Gowan Seed Company)
Shinkansen (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
Shoya Long (Takii & Co., Ltd.)
Thanos (Pure Line Seeds, Inc., Gowan Seed Company)
Summer Emerald (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
Traviata (Enza Zaden, Osborne Quality Seeds)
Violet Delite (PanAmerican Seed, Osborne Quality Seeds)
White Star F1 (Seeds by Design)
Disease Abbreviation Key
PSB Phomopsis stem blight, caused by fungus Phomopsis vexans
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Carol Miller is Editor of American Vegetable Grower. See all author stories here.