The edible fruits of the egg tree (bot. Solamun melongena) are very decorative, no matter what color they are. The dark (eggplant-colored) fruits are probably best known, but eggplants can also be golden yellow, greenish and even striped.
Is the egg tree suitable for cool climates?
The egg tree is not hardy. It absolutely needs lots of warmth and light to thrive. The Central European climate is therefore only suitable to a limited extent for growing eggplants. Therefore, the egg tree is often cultivated as an annual plant in this country. However, with proper wintering it can live for several years. The winter quarters should be bright and warm (between approx. 15 °C and 18 °C).
How do I properly care for an eggplant plant?
The egg tree cannot be described as easy to care for, but the plant is not too demanding either. However, regular watering is essential, especially during growth, flowering and fruit ripening. The nutrient requirements are also considered to be rather high. If you would like to eat the fruits, then it is best to use organic fertilizer (€2.00 on Amazon) for your egg tree.
The egg tree blooms from around August to November. Since the outside temperatures can be very low at this time of year, you should move your egg tree to suitable winter quarters in good time. Alternatively, you can cultivate the plant from the start in a heated greenhouse or warm winter garden.
When can the fruit from the egg tree be harvested?
You can often find half-ripe eggplants in stores because the ripe fruits don't last very long. However, the taste of fully ripe eggplants is significantly better, so it is best to always harvest them shortly before consumption or wait until they are fully ripe. Fruits harvested unripe or half ripe should only be eaten fully heated.
The most important things in brief:
- Edible fruits
- Plant not hardy, but perennial
- needs light and warmth to bloom and ripen
- be sure to water enough
- overwinter at approx. 15 °C to 18 °C
Tip
If you harvest the fruits from your egg tree when they are fully ripe, they taste best.
