Long Purple Eggplant

Solanum melongena (nightshade)

Also known as: Italian Long Purple

A prolific Italian heirloom producing long slender purple fruit — firm, mild, and tender. Compact plants (60–90cm) keep producing multiple fruits week after week until the colder weather. The uniform shape makes it ideal for slicing — stir-fries, pasta, baked dishes, or roasted and grilled.

Days to harvest 70-80 days
Fruit size 20–25cm slender
Sowing depth 5mm
Germination 7–14 days at 24–32 °C
Spacing 50cm apart in rows 80cm apart
Aspect Full sun, moist well-drained soil
Frost tolerance Frost sensitive — needs reliably warm nights

Growing notes

Choose a full-sun spot with shelter from cold winds. Long Purple's compact bushy habit suits garden beds and large pots equally.

Soil preparation: Amend soil with aged compost or well-rotted manure to ensure fertility and drainage; maintain a pH between 5.5 and 6.8.

Support: Light staking helps once the heavy fruit develops — even compact plants can lean under prolific yields.

Watering & feeding: Water deeply to keep soil evenly moist but not soggy; feed with a balanced fertiliser every 2–3 weeks during the growing season.

Harvest: Pick fruit when 20–25cm long and the skin is glossy and firm. Cut with secateurs leaving a short stem attached. Harvest young — overripe fruit develops hard seeds and bitterness.

Timing: Expect first harvest 70–80 days after transplanting. Picking regularly extends production.

Key features

  • Open-pollinated Italian heirloom
  • Slender purple cucumber-shaped fruit, 20–25cm
  • Very tender with excellent flavour
  • Prolific producer — four or more fruits per plant
  • Compact bushy plants, 60–90cm tall
  • Best picked young while skin is glossy

Short season tips

Best started indoors on heat mats — eggplants need 24–32 °C heat to germinate. Sow 6–8 weeks before the last frost or purchase as 6–8-week-old seedlings. Transplant into the garden when soil temperature has reliably warmed to at least 15°C (ideally 18°C or above) to avoid plant stalling. Long Purple's earlier maturity and compact habit make it one of the more reliable aubergines for cool inland climates.

  • Spring
  • Summer

Perennial in frost-free areas; grown as an annual elsewhere

  • Beans, okra, basil, mint, thyme, catnip
  • Avoid tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers

A traditional Italian heirloom long-favoured for its uniform sliceable shape and reliable productivity. Brought to America in the 1870s and grown widely since. Remains a staple in Italian cooking — the eggplant most often pictured in lasagna, parmigiana, and caponata recipes.