Difference between revisions of "Eggplant"
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| − | The eggplant is a plant of the family Solanaceae (nightshades). The fruit is commonly used in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato, potato and tobacco plant | + | The eggplant is a plant of the family Solanaceae (nightshades). The fruit is commonly used in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato, potato and tobacco plant. It is native to India, where they have been cultivated for over 4,000 years.<ref>[http://www.botanical-online.com/english/propertiesofeggplants.htm |
Properties of eggplant - botanical-online.com]</ref> | Properties of eggplant - botanical-online.com]</ref> | ||
Revision as of 09:15, 17 January 2012
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The eggplant is a plant of the family Solanaceae (nightshades). The fruit is commonly used in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato, potato and tobacco plant. It is native to India, where they have been cultivated for over 4,000 years.[1]
It is a perennial but is often cultivated as an annual. The wild on wild plants is less than 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter, but much larger in cultivated forms.
The fruit contains many small, soft and edible seeds, but have a bitter taste because they contain nicotinoid alkaloids, as the tobacco plant does.
Names
Scientific names: Solanum melongena
Common names: Aubergine, Melongene, Brinjal, Guinea squash
Scientific classification
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species: S. melongena
Cultivation
Sow or pre-sow in the beginning of March. Sow and cultivate the young plants at a minimum temperature of 68 F (20 C). Keep the plants free from frost at all times. Plant from the end of April in the greenhouse or from half May outside on a warm spot. You can also grow eggplants in pots on a terrace or balcony.
Video
- Vegetable & Fruit Gardening : How to Grow Eggplant Eggplants are crops that hate the cold, so they should be planted in the spring after all danger of frost has passed - With Jarrett Man.
Uses
Gallery
A welcome guest in the greenhouse: a ladybird on an eggplant eating away the greenflies
Eggplant seeds
See also
References
- ↑ [http://www.botanical-online.com/english/propertiesofeggplants.htm Properties of eggplant - botanical-online.com]
External links
- Eggplant Wikipedia
