Äthiopische Eierfrucht (Wildform)

Cultivation Break

Season Overview

Description

The Ethiopian eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum) is a plant species in the genus Solanum within the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Its varieties are cultivated as a vegetable. Distribution The Ethiopian eggplant, or African eggplant, is native to Ethiopia and Eritrea. However, through cultivation, the species has been introduced to numerous countries in Africa, South Asia, and North and South America. Growth The Ethiopian eggplant is an annual, herbaceous plant that can reach heights of up to 70 cm. It is covered with stalked or sessile, five- to nine-rayed, star-shaped trichomes. The stems are covered with spines that are 2–5 mm long, 1–2 mm wide at the base, and straight or slightly curved. Leaves The upper leaves often occur in unevenly shaped pairs. The petiole is 2–7 cm long. The leaf blade is ovate to elongated-ovate and reaches a length of 10–20 cm and a width of 6–14 cm. The leaf blade is irregularly undulate, and the tip may be pointed or blunt. The underside is covered with simple and star-shaped trichomes; along the leaf veins, the hairiness is finely felt-like and consists only of star-shaped trichomes, though there are often also awl-shaped spines 3–7 mm long. Flower Due to concaulescence, the inflorescences are located outside the leaf axils. They are racemose, consist of only a few flowers, and are borne on a 1–1.5 cm long peduncle. The peduncle is 5–12 cm long and covered with 0.2–2 mm long spines. The flowers are usually five-petaled, though on cultivated plants they may also have six to nine petals. The calyx is bell-shaped, 5–7 mm long and 3–4 mm wide, and bears slightly irregular, ovate to ovate-lanceolate lobes. The corolla is white or slightly violet in color, star-shaped or star-shaped with a wheel-like center. It reaches a diameter of 1.5–2.5 cm, and the corolla margin is about 6.5 mm wide. Fruit The fruits are orange to red berries with a diameter of 1.5–3 cm; rarely, they can grow up to 5 cm in size. They are often longitudinally furrowed four to six times. They contain kidney-shaped seeds with a diameter of 2–3.5 mm. Uses The ripe fruits of the Ethiopian eggfruit are eaten raw or cooked; they are also considered a remedy for colic and flatulence. The leaves are also used as food; they are usually cooked before consumption. Studies have shown that the leaves have a mild antispasmodic effect.

Growing tips

🌞 Location & soil - Sunny to full sun, warm location - Protected from the wind, but airy - Ideal: south-facing wall, greenhouse, foil tunnel or balcony in full sun - The more warmth, the faster and more abundant the fruit production - Humus-rich, loose (ideal: tomato/vegetable soil + 20 % perlite or sand) - nutrient-rich soil - well-drained, permeable, no waterlogging 🌱 Sowing & planting - Pre-cultivation: February to early April - The earlier, the better - eggplants need plenty of warmth and a long development period - Germination temperature: 24-28 °C - Germination time: 7-21 days - Sowing depth: 0.5 cm (light germinator) - Substrate: Fine, loose sowing soil (with 10-20% perlite) - moisten slightly - Pricking out: with 1st pair of true leaves, nutrient-rich soil, 18-20°C - From a height of 20-25 cm, tie up with a stick - Planting: mid to end of May - Planting distance: 30-40 cm - Row spacing: 50-60 cm 💧 Care - Watering: little, evenly moist, always close to the ground - Basic fertilization: Compost or well-rotted manure in spring - Fertilization: heavy feeder (weekly liquid fertilizer / slow-release fertilizer) - Tie up the main shoot - Thin out side shoots only slightly - Mulching 🌾 Harvest - Harvest time: August to October - Harvest continuously for new fruit set - Leaves & fruits edible - Ripeness: when the skin is shiny and gives slightly - Young fruits taste milder ❄️ Winter protection - Not frost-hardy - Overwintering possible: bright, 10-15°C, little watering - Avoid waterlogging 🌿 Good neighbors - Basil, marigold, marigolds, borage - Beans, peas, spinach, lettuce, garlic - Echinacea, catmint, phlox, yarrow, ornamental grasses, cosmos, magerites - Oregano, thyme, savory, lemon balm, dill, coriander - Chives, onions, chard, carrots - Parsnips, beet, black salsify, celery - Potentilla, spirea, summer lilac, low roses - Mint (in pots), comfrey, sunflower - Strawberries, gooseberries, currants 🚫 Bad neighbors - Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, chili, eggplant - Cabbage, pumpkin, turnip, rapeseed, corn, fennel, wormwood, sage - Cranesbill, lady's mantle, larkspur, lavender, limb herbs, lupine - Sedum, houseleek - Woodruff, astilbe, Jerusalem artichoke, ivy, goutweed, lovage - Ferns, funkia, bamboo, reeds, begonia, hellebore, purple bellflower - hazel, elder, privet, forsythia, hydrangea - Walnut, maple, birch, willow, chestnut, rhododendron, weigelie - Raspberries, blueberries 🍂 Diseases - Powdery and downy mildew - Verticillium wilt - Gray mold - Leaf spot diseases - Mosaic viruses (e.g. TMV) - Root rot Pests - Aphids - Whitefly - Caterpillars, cabbage white butterfly - leaf miners - Spider mites - thrips - Colorado potato beetle - snails

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Moist

Soil

Light (sandy)

Nutrient requirement

High

Light germinator

Germination temperature

24 - 28 °C (Degrees Celsius)

Plant distance

35 cm

Row spacing

55 cm

Seeding depth

0.5 cm