Are There Mini Eggplants?

There are many eggplant varieties that are oddly shaped, vary in flavor and offer different colors, from purple to green, to white or striped. Miniature eggplants develop as the same meaty fruits, at a reasonable size to fit any growing space.

What are mini eggplants called?

Indian Eggplant
5. Indian Eggplant. Also called baby eggplants, these adorable nightshades resemble grapes or cherries. They have a dark, reddish-purple color and a round shape.

Can you eat tiny eggplants?

Baby eggplants are a delight to eat. But you can leave them too long. Eggplant should be harvested when they are one-third to two-thirds full mature size.

What does mini eggplant taste like?

The smaller version of the larger purple skinned eggplant is often called Italian or baby eggplant. These have a somewhat more intense flavor and the flesh is much more tender. The straight thin eggplants known as Japanese or Asian eggplant have thin delicate skins like Italian eggplant but the flesh is sweeter.

How big do miniature eggplants get?

2 to 3 in.
(15-20 cm) long for traditional-sized eggplant, 2 to 3 in. (5-7 cm) long for mini-size eggplant. Use a knife or pruning shears rather than breaking or twisting the stems. Many eggplant varieties have small prickly thorns on the stem, so exercise caution or wear gloves when harvesting.

What is little finger eggplant?

The Little Finger eggplants are slender, petite eggplants that are excellent for grilling and cooking. This eggplant has a dark purple skin is thin and tender with a silky flesh. This variety produces few seeds and a mildly sweet flavor. Harvest when the eggplant is young and glossy.

How do you know when a mini eggplant is ripe?

If you squeeze the skin it should spring back firmly when ripe, leaving no marks from your fingers. If there’s no give to the skin then your patio eggplants are not ripe.

Can you eat baby eggplant raw?

Can You Eat Eggplant Raw? Luckily, the answer is yes! While the leaves and flowers can be toxic, the eggplant itself is safe to consume both raw and cooked, and the compound that some might be sensitive to, solanine, is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.

What is the sweetest eggplant?

Italian eggplant are more delicate and sweeter than their larger cousins, and their smaller size makes them a good choice for stuffing, roasting, and broiling. Chinese eggplant are easily identified by their pale violet skin and slender, cylindrical shape. They have the most delicate flavor of all the market varieties.

What’s the difference between eggplant and Japanese eggplant?

Characterized by their long, narrow shape, both Japanese and Chinese eggplant can be hard to differentiate. Japanese eggplant tends to have a much deeper purple color, while Chinese eggplant is usually lighter, more lavender-purple, and is sometimes even longer.

What is Japanese eggplant called?

There are many varieties of Japanese eggplants, including Hari, Ichiban, Machiaw, Millionaire, and Little Fingers, that come in various shades of pink, green, purple, and black.

How long do mini eggplants take to grow?

Get ready to harvest a bumper crop of tiny eggplants! The glossy, purple-black eggplants are never bitter, even if you leave them on plants for a few days once they ripen. Fruits mature in just 45 days, and once you start picking, you won’t stop until fall frost.

Why are my eggplants so small?

Why are my plants so small and growing slowly? Eggplants are sensitive to the cold. Either a transplant has been planted into cold soil, or a young plant has experienced cold weather, or a transplant that became root bound before being planted may be stunted for a short while or for the full growing season.

Do baby eggplants have seeds?

Once they lose their shine, the skin toughens and the seeds inside the fruit begin maturing. You can also harvest them while they are small. Baby eggplants are a gourmet treat, and harvesting the small fruit keeps them from becoming overripe if you have to be away from your garden for a few days.

How do you pick a little finger eggplant?

Little Fingers grow in clusters that almost look like hands. They grow in clusters of 3-5 purple, slim fruits. You can start harvesting when they are only as big as your finger or let them get bigger. Either way they will taste mild and sweet.

What is millionaire eggplant?

‘Millionaires’ early maturity and voluminous amounts of very slender, nearly black fruit which are virtually without seeds outshine other eggplant varieties by far. This attractive, upright grower will provide much satisfaction and truly enrich your vegetable garden.

How do you eat baby patio eggplant?

Patio Baby is a very early and highly productive eggplant with a compact habit, making it a great choice for containers or in the garden. Deep purple, egg-shaped fruit should be harvested at baby size-2 to 3 inches, and are delicious roasted or in dips and salads.

How can you tell a male from a female eggplant?

Male eggplants tend to have fewer seeds, and are therefore less bitter than female eggplants. To sex an eggplant, look at the indentation at bottom. If it’s deep and shaped like a dash, it’s a female. If it’s shallow and round, it’s a male.

Will eggplant ripen after being picked?

You can ripen eggplants after harvesting, but results vary, depending on the problem. Ripen them on the counter at room temperature. It helps to put the eggplants in a paper bag where they should ripen within a few days.

Why eggplant should not be eaten?

Eggplants are part of the nightshade family. Nightshades contain alkaloids, including solanine, which can be toxic. Solanine protects these plants while they are still developing. Eating the leaves or tubers of these plants can lead to symptoms such as burning in the throat, nausea and vomiting, and heart arrhythmias.

What vegetable is poisonous if eaten raw?

Eggplant. Approach raw eggplant with caution. Raw eggplant contains solanine, the same toxin that makes raw potatoes problematic. “Young eggplants” in particular, or eggplants that were harvested early in their plant lives, contain the most of this toxin.