Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Solanaceae
Native
Asia
Life Cycle
Annual
Plant Height
Tall (Greater than 24")
Further Information
Plant Characteristics
Good for Containers
About Long Purple Eggplant Seeds
Solanum melongena
8"–10" long, 2" wide; cylindrical, but slightly wider at bottom end, with smooth, glossy purple skin, and creamy interior.
Planting Eggplant
Days to Maturity
70–80 days from transplanting
Plant Spacing
Start indoors
Light Required
Full sun
Plant Height
Tall (Greater than 24")
Planting Depth
¼"
Planting Details
| Row Spacing | 36" |
|---|---|
| Seed Depth | ¼" |
| Seed Spacing | Start indoors |
| Thinning | Start indoors; plant 18" apart outside |
| Germination | 10–20 days |
| Start Indoors | RECOMMENDED. 10 to 12 weeks before your average last frost date. Transplant outdoors 1 to 2 weeks after last frost, when soil temperature is at least 60°F, and outside night air temperature is above 60°F. |
| Direct Sow | 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date, when soil temperature is at least 70°F, ideally 80°–90°F, and when outside night air temperature is above 60°F. |
| Growing & Harvesting | Long Purple' should be harvested when the fruit is no longer than 10" and the skin is still shiny; can be harvested at baby size. If you are in doubt about maturity level, note that it's better to harvest eggplants a little young rather than wait until they are overly mature with dull skin, eventually possibly turning a golden color, with plentiful seeds, and bitter taste. To harvest, cut the stem with pruners. Plants will produce four or more fruits. Continual harvest will encourage more production. |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
Send Your Recommendation
Total 5 star reviews: 18 Total 4 star reviews: 2 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 3
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Rating
Which best describes you as a gardener?
23 reviews
- KatherineVerified ReviewerRated 5 out of 5 stars8/9/26From Seed to Fruit: A Container Success Story!
After trying these last year in a ground level raised bed in zone 6b and dealing with a lot of pest issues (flea beetles) that never allowed the plants to fully mature, we tried them again in 2.5 foot tall containers on the patio and had much better luck. Our first eggplant is ready to harvest today and we have two more coming up behind it, plus many flowers. We grew five plants in total this year - three in containers and two in a waist- high raised bed. All are thriving. The extra height off the ground seems to be the trick for us. No flea beetle damage this year. So excited to finally be able to grow eggplant! And the plants themselves are very low-maintenance. 💜
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests8/13/26Hey Katherine
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. We absolutely love hearing about your container success story - it sounds like you found the perfect growing setup for your Long Purple Eggplants! How wonderful that you were able to overcome the flea beetle challenges from last year and are now harvesting your first eggplant with more on the way. Your enthusiasm and the beautiful photos of those thriving plants and flowers really brighten our day. We're so glad you're finally able to grow eggplant successfully, and we appreciate you sharing what worked best for you. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we're committed to making sure you have a positive experience. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻
- Enzo P.Verified ReviewerRated 5 out of 5 stars5/31/26Eggplant fanatic
I love how much it produces. Very hardly variety. I will plant more this year
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests6/1/26Hey Enzo,
We're so excited to hear that your Long Purple Eggplant Seeds are such prolific producers! There's nothing better than a hardy variety that keeps on giving. Sounds like you've got the perfect setup for an even bigger eggplant harvest this year! Thanks for sharing your eggplant growing success with us! Keep on growing 🌻️
- AdamRated 5 out of 5 stars3/27/265 Stars
Excellent! Thank you.
- AvantikaVerified ReviewerRated 5 out of 5 stars10/8/25Prolific variety
I had excellent germination and harvest from these seeds. The plants grew to be 3-4 ft tall and produced so many eggplants that I had enough to share with friends and neighbors every week. I’m definitely going to grow them again, just going to get fewer plants going next time.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests10/10/25Hey Avantika,
Thank you so much for this fantastic 5-star review! "Prolific variety" is exactly what we love to hear about Long Purple Eggplant Seeds - and wow, having so many eggplants that you could share with friends and neighbors every week is just incredible testament to what amazing producers these plants really are!
We absolutely love that you got excellent germination AND such an abundant harvest! There's something so wonderful about those 3-4 foot tall plants just loaded with beautiful long purple eggplants week after week. The fact that you had enough to become the neighborhood eggplant hero is exactly the kind of generous productivity that makes this variety such a garden superstar.
Your "problem" of having too much success is honestly the best kind of gardening challenge to have! It's so smart that you're planning to scale back the number of plants next time - these Long Purple eggplants really do deliver such incredible yields that a little goes a long way when it comes to feeding yourself and everyone around you.
Your experience will be so inspiring for other gardeners who want to discover just how rewarding and productive Long Purple Eggplant Seeds can be, and maybe they'll learn from your generous harvest to plan their planting quantities accordingly!
Keep on growing 🌻️
- Carolyn S.Verified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 stars9/19/25Oops
Did not produce any sprouts no matter how I started them
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerBIBotanical Interests9/24/25Hey Carolyn,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️