Solanum melongena

Solanum melongena (aubergine / eggplant) — a heat-loving nightshade from India and Southeast Asia, in purple, white, striped and slim Asian forms. The botanical home of our eggplant range.

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  • Eggplant Violetta Lunga Medium Early seeds (Solanum melongena) – vegetable Eggplant Violetta Lunga Medium Early (Solanum melongena) – vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Eggplant Violetta Lunga Seeds Solanum Melongena Medium Early Variety
    €4,95

    Eggplant variety with long deep purple fruits eggplant violetta lunga seeds are a medium early vegetable variety valued for their vigorous growth and reliable performance in suitable conditions. This Italian eggplant seed variety produces long,...
  • Eggplant Black Beauty seeds (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable Eggplant Black Beauty (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Eggplant Black Beauty Seeds Solanum Melongena Annual Variety
    €3,56€4,45

    Classic annual variety for fruit vegetable gardens eggplant black beauty seeds are a popular choice for gardeners who want a dependable, traditional aubergine with striking dark purple-black fruits. This annual variety is known for its...
  • Eggplant Violetta Lunga 2 Long Purple seeds (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable Eggplant Violetta Lunga 2 Long Purple (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Eggplant Seeds Violetta Lunga 2 Solanum Melongena Annual Long Purple
    €4,95

    Eggplant variety for warm season vegetable gardens eggplant seeds ‘Violetta Lunga 2’ are an annual vegetable choice valued for producing long, purple fruits on sturdy plants. This classic Italian-style type is often searched as violetta...
  • Eggplant White Egg seeds (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable Eggplant White Egg (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Eggplant White Egg Seeds Solanum Melongena Annual
    €4,45

    Eggplant variety with distinctive white egg fruits eggplant white egg seeds are an annual vegetable choice valued for their decorative look and productive garden performance. This cultivar of Solanum melongena forms compact plants with a...
  • Eggplant Violetta Lunga 2 seeds (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable Eggplant Violetta Lunga 2 (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Eggplant Seeds Violetta Lunga 2 Solanum Melongena Annual
    €3,96€4,95

    Violetta Lunga eggplant for warm seasons Eggplant seeds for the Violetta Lunga eggplant variety are a classic choice for gardeners who want elegant, elongated fruits with a rich purple skin. This annual vegetable is commonly...
  • Eggplant Prosperosa seeds (Solanum melongena) – vegetable Eggplant Prosperosa (Solanum melongena) – vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Eggplant Prosperosa Seeds Solanum Melongena Vegetable Variety
    €4,76€5,95

    Prosperosa eggplant seeds for classic Italian gardens Eggplant Prosperosa seeds produce a vigorous vegetable plant known for its attractive, medium-sized fruits and reliable garden performance. This prosperosa eggplant variety forms round, gently ribbed fruits with...
  • Eggplant Black Beauty seeds (Solanum melongena) – vegetable Eggplant Black Beauty (Solanum melongena) – vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Eggplant Black Beauty Seeds Solanum Melongena Vegetable
    €3,96€4,95

    Classic dark purple variety for home gardens eggplant black beauty seeds are a popular choice for gardeners who want a reliable, mid early eggplant variety with attractive, glossy fruit. This classic selection of Solanum melongena...
  • Mini Eggplant Patio Baby F1 seeds (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable Mini Eggplant Patio Baby F1 (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Mini Eggplant Seeds Solanum Melongena Patio Baby F1 Annual
    €5,95

    Mini eggplant seeds for patios and pots mini eggplant seeds are a great choice for small-space vegetable growing, especially on balconies, rooftop terraces, and compact gardens. This Patio Baby F1 selection is bred for a...
  • Eggplant Black Beauty seeds (Solanum melongena) – organic annual vegetable Eggplant Black Beauty (Solanum melongena) – organic annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Eggplant Black Beauty Seeds Organic Solanum Melongena Annual
    €3,96€4,95

    Organic Black Beauty eggplant for rich color eggplant black beauty seeds are an organic choice for gardeners who want a classic, deep purple-black eggplant with a rounded to pear-shaped form. This purple black eggplant variety...
  • Mini Eggplant Patio Baby F1 seeds (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable Mini Eggplant Patio Baby F1 (Solanum melongena) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Mini Eggplant Seeds Patio Baby F1 Solanum Melongena Annual
    €5,56€6,95

    Mini eggplant for pots and patios mini eggplant seeds patio baby f1 are a compact, warm-season vegetable choice for gardeners who want an eggplant that fits neatly into smaller spaces. This patio eggplant variety is...
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Solanum melongena — aubergine (eggplant)

Solanum melongena is the botanical name for the aubergine, or eggplant, a tender, heat-loving member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). It is the species behind our eggplant range within the fruiting vegetable collection, a close cousin of the tomato and pepper.

History & origin

The aubergine originated in India and Southeast Asia, where it was domesticated thousands of years ago and remains hugely diverse. It spread west through the Arab world, reaching the Mediterranean and Moorish Spain in the Middle Ages. Like its relative the tomato, it was long treated with suspicion in cooler Europe — as a nightshade it was even nicknamed the “mad apple” — before becoming central to the cooking of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia.

Its species name, melongena, traces back through medieval Latin and Arabic to the plant's old Asian names.

Botanical characteristics

A bushy, tender perennial grown as an annual, the aubergine bears glossy fruit far beyond the familiar large purple type — slim Asian varieties, round and egg-shaped forms (the original “egg” plants), and fruit in white, green, striped and orange. It needs real warmth to crop well and, like peppers, does best under cover or in our container range in cooler climates.

Growing Solanum melongena from seed

Treat aubergines much like peppers: sow early indoors in warmth, grow on in good light, and give them a greenhouse, polytunnel or the sunniest spot once it is reliably warm. Feed with a high-potash fertiliser once fruiting, and keep plants evenly watered. Our germination guide and vegetable sowing calendar help you time it.

Ready to grow aubergines? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Eggplant · Tomato · Sweet Peppers · Container Veg · Fruiting Veg

At SeedsChoice, every order ships from Meppel, NL with fast, tracked EU delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Solanum melongena?
It is the botanical name for the aubergine, or eggplant, a fruit in the nightshade family.

Where do aubergines originate?
From India and Southeast Asia, spreading west through the Arab world to the Mediterranean.

Why is it called “eggplant”?
Early varieties were small, white and egg-shaped.

Do aubergines need a greenhouse?
Warmth helps greatly in cool climates — grow them under cover or in pots in the sun.

How do I grow them?
Treat them like peppers: sow early indoors in warmth and feed with high-potash fertiliser once fruiting.