Ichiban Eggplant

Solanum melongena

A refined version of the popular Japanese Eggplant. Plants are heavy bearers of roughly 10" fruits which are slender and curved. The thin skin ripens to a deep purple-black, encasing white flesh. The fruits are popular in stir fry's, but can be grilled or used like regular eggplants. Flavor is sweet. The plants are also advantageous to the home grower as they tend to bear well into the cooler season, up until frost. One of the more common commercially available varieties of Japanese eggplant.