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Solanum melongena

Aubergine · Eggplant · Brinjal

Family SolanaceaeGenus Solanum

Four small glossy aubergines, purple shading to white, hanging by spiny green calyces from a hairy stem.
FruitJoydeepCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Annual, Herbaceous Perennial, Vegetable, Warm Season VegetableExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
shrubPlants of the World Online
Height
2-4 ft0.6-1.2 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
1-3 ft30-90 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Purple/LavenderExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
IndeterminatePLANTS Database
Native range
Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
9-12Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Loam (Silt), SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Watering
Drought tolerance: LowPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • First recorded in 1763, the name eggplant was given to white varieties that look much like hen's eggs. Aubergine and most other European names come from the Arabic bāḏinjān. Wikipedia: Eggplant
  • A relative of the tomato, chili pepper and potato. It was domesticated from a wild nightshade, the thorn or bitter apple, Solanum incanum. Wikipedia: Eggplant

This source reports 5 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 28, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 8 days to germinate.

100% germination in 2–8 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216Public domain
Show the original text
Solanum (Solanaceae). S. melongena is the eggplant. Commercial seeds germ. 70L(100% in 2-8 d), 70D GA-3(94% in 1-5 w), 70D(50% in 1-5 w), 40-70(75% in 4th w), and 40 (GA-3)- 70(60% in 4-8 d). Both light and GA-3 showed small effects.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 35 days to germinate.

94% germination in 7–35 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216Public domain
Show the original text
Solanum (Solanaceae). S. melongena is the eggplant. Commercial seeds germ. 70L(100% in 2-8 d), 70D GA-3(94% in 1-5 w), 70D(50% in 1-5 w), 40-70(75% in 4th w), and 40 (GA-3)- 70(60% in 4-8 d). Both light and GA-3 showed small effects.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 8, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 28 days.

75% germination in 28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216Public domain
Show the original text
Solanum (Solanaceae). S. melongena is the eggplant. Commercial seeds germ. 70L(100% in 2-8 d), 70D GA-3(94% in 1-5 w), 70D(50% in 1-5 w), 40-70(75% in 4th w), and 40 (GA-3)- 70(60% in 4-8 d). Both light and GA-3 showed small effects.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 28, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 8 days.

60% germination in 4–8 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216Public domain
Show the original text
Solanum (Solanaceae). S. melongena is the eggplant. Commercial seeds germ. 70L(100% in 2-8 d), 70D GA-3(94% in 1-5 w), 70D(50% in 1-5 w), 40-70(75% in 4th w), and 40 (GA-3)- 70(60% in 4-8 d). Both light and GA-3 showed small effects.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 35 days to germinate.

50% germination in 7–35 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216Public domain
Show the original text
Solanum (Solanaceae). S. melongena is the eggplant. Commercial seeds germ. 70L(100% in 2-8 d), 70D GA-3(94% in 1-5 w), 70D(50% in 1-5 w), 40-70(75% in 4th w), and 40 (GA-3)- 70(60% in 4-8 d). Both light and GA-3 showed small effects.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Solanum p. 216. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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