Eggplant Solanum melongena, Solanum integrifolium, or Solanum gilo, Nightshade Family ( Solanaceae ), Commonly Known As: Eggplant. AKA: eggfruit, aubergine, brinjal, tomato-fruited eggplant, gilos, guinea squash, mad apple, nasubi. Eggplant originated in India, where it is used in many of their dishes, such as bengan bartha. Eggplant is also the basis for Greek moussaka, French ratatouille, and Italian caponata. Eggplant has gained popularity in the U.S. because of the development of early-maturing varieties that produce fruit over a wider range of temperatures. Eggplant is not only a food eaten worldwide but, it's also versatile. You can add it to soups and pasta dishes or use it as the basis for hearty meatless casseroles and other entrees. It is low in calories and people on diets can substitute it for pasta with the consumption of far fewer calories and carbohydrates. Vegetarians value its rich, deep flavor as an excellent substitute for meat. Modern Eggplants form erect bushes with large, fuzzy leaves and stiff, hard stems. They usually grow 1� to 2 feet high, but some kinds adapted to the South can grow up to 3 or 4 feet. There are a variety of shapes and sizes, some being large, oval & plump to long and slender. Some are the size of a grape. Domestic varieties come in purple, purple-black or white and Asian varieties come in yellow, pink, striped, green, orange, and purplish red. Some varities with oval fruits are: Dusky, Beauty Hybrid, Florida Market (for the South), Early Beauty. With long fruits: Ichiban, & Agora. Eggplants do best in rich, slightly acidic, well-draining soil with compost added. Eggplants need to be spaced about 24 inches apart in rows at least 12 inches apart. Eggplants can be either grown from seed or transplanted. In Arizona, we buy transplants from our local nursery due to the long growing period. The transplants should be set in the garden 2 or 3 weeks after the last frost-free date. Cold shock can kill them. Transplant them in the evening to make the transition easier. If planting seeds, they will need warm soil (temperature between 70 to 80 degrees F) and you should start them indoors, about 8 to 10 weeks before the frost-free date. The baby eggplants need strong sunlight or fluorescent light in late winter. Don't forget, eggplants need heat and humidity to grow well. It's fruit fails to set at temperatures below about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Eggplants are a very heavy feeders, so side-dressing the plants with well-rotted compost or manure twice a month is encouraged. Recommended Varieties of Eggplants: Large Oval Fruit Dusky (60 days to harvest, good size, early production) Epic (64 days, tear-drop shaped) Black Bell (68 days, round to oval, productive) Black Magic (72 days) Classic (76 days, elongated oval, high quality) Black Beauty (OP-80 days) Burpee Hybrid (80 days) Ghostbuster (80 days; white, slightly sweeter than purple types; 6 to 7 inch oval). Elongated Fruit Ichiban (70 days) Slim Jim (OP-70 days; lavender, turning purple when peanut-sized; good in pots) Little Fingers (OP-68 days; 6 to 8 inch, long, slim fruit in clusters). Ornamental Fruit Easter Egg (52 days; small white, egg-sized, shaped, turning yellow at maturity; edible ornamental) Common Problems Verticillium wilt causes yellowing, wilting and death of the plants. Flea beetles cause tiny holes in the leaves. Damage can be severe, especially on young plants, if unchecked. These beetles can be controlled by applying an insecticide. Harvesting Harvest the fruits when they are 6 to 8 inches long and still glossy. Use a knife or pruning shears rather than breaking or twisting the stems. Many eggplant varieties have small prickly thorns on the stem and calyx, so exercise caution or wear gloves when harvesting. Leave the large (usually green) calyx attached to the fruit. When the fruits become dull or brown, they are too mature for culinary use and should be cut off and discarded. Overmature fruits are spongy and seedy and may be bitter. Even properly harvested fruits do not store well and should be eaten soon after they are harvested. Selection & Storage Harvest eggplants when they are young. Size is not always an indication of maturity. To test, hold the eggplant in your palm and gently press it with your thumb. If the flesh presses in but bounces back, it is ready for harvesting. If the flesh is hard and does not give, the eggplant is immature and too young to harvest. If the thumb indentation remains, the eggplant to over mature and may be completely brown inside and bitter with large tough seeds. There is long-standing controversy about male and female eggplants, which is an inaccurate approach considering the fact that fruits are the product of sex and do not have it. However, it is folk wisdom worth some attention. Eggplants have a dimple at the blossom end. The dimple can be very round or oval in shape. The round ones seem to have more seeds and tend to be less meaty, so select the oval dimpled eggplant. Eggplants bruise easily so harvest gently. Always cut the eggplant with the cap and some of the stem attached. Eggplants do not like cool temperatures so they do not store well. Harvest and use them immediately for best flavor. If you must store them, wrap them in plastic or use plastics and store for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. Be careful as it will soon develop soft brown spots and become bitter. Use them while the stem and cap are still greenish and rather fresh-looking. Nutritional Value & Health Benefits Eggplants have a small amount of nutrients. They are naturally low in calories and unpeeled, they provide some fiber. There is also some folate and potassium. Nutrition Facts (1 cup cooked, cubed ) Calories 27.7 Protein .82 gram Carbohydrates 6.57 grams Dietary Fiber 2.48 grams Phosphorus 21.78 mg Potassium 245.52 mg Folate 14.26 mcg Preparation & Serving Cooked eggplant soaks up a lot of oil. As the air rushes out of the cells oil rushes in to take it place. Many cooks insist on salting and pressing (or just draining) the air and water out before cooking. Getting rid of the air means it will absorb less oil during cooking. Salting also reduces the water content which reduces the amount of water leeched out into the dish. If you salt prior to cooking, rinse and pat dry to prevent excessive salt in the end product. Adjust the seasoning in the recipe to compensate for the salt remaining on the eggplant. Then there is the issue of whether or not to peel the eggplant. Peeling should depend on how the eggplant is used in the recipe. If you never peel, selection becomes extremely important. Young tender eggplant is a must as older tough skin takes longer to cook and by then the flesh is overcooked. Eggplant can be baked, grilled, steamed, or sauteed. It is versatile and works well with tomatoes, onions, garlic and cheese. The only way eggplant is unacceptable is raw. Home Preservation Eggplant is not suitable for drying or canning. Freezing is the best method for home preservation. To Freeze: Harvest before seeds become mature and when color is uniformly dark. 1.Wash, peel if desired, and slice 1/3-inch thick. Prepare quickly, enough eggplant for one blanching at a time. 2.Water blanch, covered for 4 minutes in one gallon boiling water containing 1/2 cup lemon juice. 3.Cool, drain and package, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Seal in zip closure freezer bags and seal and freeze. 4.For frying -- Pack the drained slices with a freezer wrap between slices. Seal and freeze. Eggplants do very well in the Arizona desert and they even like the summer heat. They are so productive that its not unusual to see people sharing them with friends. An excellent pdf document that explains the total production of eggplant, is from the Utah State University Cooperative Extension Bulletin; "Eggplant in the Garden" by Dan Drost. Click Here For: 'Eggplant in the Garden'. by Dan Drost". Type: Vegetable. Zones: USDA 3a thru 9a . Height: About 24 to 48 inches tall at maturity. Spread: About 2-4 feet wide. Flowers: Purple and star-shaped with fused petals. Fruit: Standard is egg shaped glossy purple black fruit 6-9" long. There are others. Blooming Time: Spring through Fall. Leaves: Blue-green to dark-green in color, large and broad with scalloped leaf margins. 8 inches long and 5 inches wide. triangle shaped with rounded edges. Underside of the leaf has prickly thorns. Elevation: 0 - 5,500 feet. Light: Sun. Habitat: Mulched areas. Well-drained soil with a 5.5 to 6.5 pH. Native: India and China. Miscellaneous: Photos Taken June 10, 2010 In Yarnell, Arizona. Hardy Temp: 50�F. Prefers70�F and 85�F. Doesn't Set Fruit below 60�F.