Compact Eggplant
Even compact eggplants can produce large, flavorful fruit. The following are some of the small eggplant varieties, making them suitable for containers and pots:
- New York Improved Eggplant – This compact, heirloom eggplant produces shiny, black fruit. This variety takes about 2 weeks to germinate. Its mature height is from 18 to 24 inches.
- Little Fingers – This is a sturdy compact eggplant variety that produces small, deep purple fruit. The petite fruit has a sweet, mild flavor when harvested while young. It reaches the height of 22 to 26 inches when mature.
- Astrakom Eggplant – Each compact plant grows a little under 2-feet tall, producing a yield of multiple, teardrop shaped eggplants. The fruit is glossy, deep purple.
Medium Sized Eggplant
You can plant medium-sized eggplants in containers, as long as you use some type of support as they grow.
- Black Beauty – This eggplant variety is one of the most common for home gardeners. It produces large, oval, deep purple fruit. This cultivar grows from 24 to 30 inches tall in about 85 days.
- Dusky – Growing up to 36-inches tall in about 60 days, this eggplant variety yields long, oval-shaped fruit reaching 8 inches. It is a hybrid that resists some viruses.
- Epic- This hybrid eggplant variety grows up to 36-inches tall, and produces 8-inch long deep purple fruit, shaped like teardrops.
Large Eggplant
Large eggplants need a lot of room to grow, so it’s a good idea to plant them in a garden or raised bed.
- Ichiban – Growing up to 40-inches tall, this Japanese eggplant produces long, slender, purple fruit. This is a high yield plant, and the fruit matures in 58 to 70 days.
- Florida Market Eggplant – This cultivar is a high-yield producer of large, purple fruit. It grows to a height of 38 inches with fruit reaching 9-inches long.
- Rotonda Bianca Sfumata Eggplant – This prolific Italian eggplant, also known as Romanesca, produces dense, mild fruit with a rosy pink color. The fruit grows 4-inches wide and 5-inches tall. It reaches maturity in about 120 days, and grows to the height of about 36 inches.
Eggplant Growing Success
No matter which eggplant variety you want to grow, having optimal growing conditions will help them reach their full height. All eggplants love the sun, and need at least 6 hours every day. They also need weekly watering and well-drained soil. Pruning your eggplants, and removing suckers also helps them stay healthy and produce more fruit.
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