// SPECIES PROFILE · FOOD CROP · CULTIVATED

Eggplant

Solanum melongena

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a cultivated annual food crop grown for its edible fruit. Family: Solanaceae (nightshade family). Originally from South & Southeast Asia. Grown as an annual in zones 4a–11a. Mature size 2'–3'. Harvest in northeastern Oklahoma: Jul–Oct.

// QUICK FACTS

Family: Solanaceae (nightshade family)
Group: crop · annual
Origin: South & Southeast Asia · cultivated
USDA zones: Zones 4a–11a (as an annual)
Mature size: 2'–3'
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Edible parts: fruit
Harvest (NE OK): Jul–Oct
Garden role: heat-loving nightshade · thrives in Oklahoma summers · visited by buzz-pollinating bumblebees

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) — *Solanum melongena* — Eggplant. Photo by Joydeep via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Field Notes

[ growing · ecology · siting · care ]

Why it's on this list: heat-loving nightshade · thrives in Oklahoma summers · visited by buzz-pollinating bumblebees. A cultivated food crop — not a native — grown alongside regional natives in Rooted Revival's kitchen-garden and food-forest designs. Harvest windows are for northeastern Oklahoma (USDA zone 7a).

Companion Planting

[ guild · polyculture · cross-layer pairings ]

In a kitchen garden or food-forest guild, eggplant pairs well with: Basil (Ocimum basilicum), Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum (Grossum Group)), Cowpea / Black-Eyed Pea (Vigna unguiculata), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris).