# Eggplant (*Solanum melongena*)

Eggplants are vegetables that come in different colors like purple, white, or green. They are tasty when cooked and are used in many delicious dishes around the world.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens, Farms
- **Also known as:** Aubergine

![Eggplant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Solanum_melongena_24_08_2012_%281%29.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Joydeep, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solanum_melongena_24_08_2012_%281%29.JPG)

## Appearance

The Eggplant plant has large, fuzzy green leaves and often purple, star-shaped flowers with yellow centers. Its most distinct feature is the fruit, typically glossy and deep purple, though some varieties can be white, green, or striped, and elongated or round in shape.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Solanales
- **Family:** Solanaceae
- **Genus:** Solanum

## Interesting facts

- Ancient farmers in India started growing eggplants over 4,000 years ago.
- Despite being delicious, the eggplant plant is related to the poisonous deadly nightshade!
- Eggplants can float on water, like tiny purple boats!
- One eggplant fruit can hold hundreds of tiny seeds inside it.

## Special abilities

- **Self-Pollinating Power:** Eggplant can self-pollinate, meaning it produces fruit without needing another plant or many insects for fertilization.
- **Bitter Defense:** Eggplant leaves produce bitter compounds called solanine, which helps deter pests from eating its foliage.
- **Fuzzy Leaf Shield:** Its fuzzy leaves can trap moisture and help reduce water loss during hot, sunny weather.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-120 cm
- **Spread:** 60-120 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to early fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Self

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Colorado potato beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/colorado-potato-beetle) (*Leptinotarsa decemlineata*) — Larvae and adults munch on leaves.
- **Eaten by:** Eggplant flea beetle (*Epitrix fuscula*) — Feeds on leaves, creating small holes.
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Vibrates flowers for pollen release.

## Traits

- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)
- [Vegetables](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/vegetables)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash eggplants before eating them to stay healthy.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Eggplant?

Compare leaves, stems, flowers, pods and the part you eat. Seedlings can look like unrelated garden plants until their mature leaves come in. Vegetable Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Eggplant?

60-120 cm

### How wide does Eggplant spread?

60-120 cm

### How big are the flowers on Eggplant?

2-5 cm

### When does Eggplant bloom?

Summer to early fall

### Is Eggplant edible?

Yes

### Is Eggplant toxic?

Mild

### What is Eggplant's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Eggplant: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eggplant)