Egg tree: planting, care and harvest

The Egg Tree (Solanum melongena) does not bear eggs, but edible eggplants. We show photos of the egg tree and how to plant and grow it yourself.

With its edible white fruits, the egg tree brings a true rarity to the plate and can also be cultivated here. In this article you will learn everything about the properties, cultivation and use of the egg tree.

Egg tree: origin and properties

The egg tree is one of them eggplants (Solanum melongena) and is therefore a nightshade (Solanaceae). The eggplants, which are mainly used in Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, come in all color variations from black-violet, green, yellow, orange and red to creamy white. Only the white and oval-shaped eggplants are referred to as eggplants, as they are the closest in color and shape to an egg. The egg tree is also known by the name 'Oeuf Blanc' and is believed to have originated in Japan.

Eggplants: taste and appearance

As the name suggests, the egg tree forms oval-round, creamy-white fruits. The purple flowers from which the bright eggplants develop are particularly decorative. The flowering period of the egg tree is from June to July, after about 65 days the first fruits are ready to be harvested. The plant looks like a typical aubergine, it is about 60 to 80 centimeters high. Its leaves are light green, large and lobed, while hairy and fluffy. The ripe fruits taste, typically like most aubergines, little and are therefore suitable for all kinds of vegetable dishes.

Plant egg tree

You can either buy young plants of the egg tree directly in the garden trade or grow them from seeds on the warm windowsill as early as February. The egg tree needs a lot of warmth and is looking forward to a sheltered place when planting from mid-May and sunny spot - whether in a pot, on the balcony, in the greenhouse or outdoors, it's all there no matter. The optimal planting distance between the eggplants is 40 centimeters. When growing in a bucket, a pre-fertilized potting soil such as ours is suitable for filling Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil, very good. It already contains essential nutrients that can be absorbed by the young plants and give them a good start to the summer. The planter should have a volume of about 5 liters. When planting, the eggplant is not placed deeper than in the previous pot. After planting, water your egg tree vigorously without wetting the leaves. This watering method prevents fungal diseases that could get onto the plant from the soil with spray water.

care for the egg tree

Over the summer, the egg tree requires little care. The plant grows slowly until July, it should be watered regularly and supported and tied as it grows taller. As soon as the egg tree unfolds its full purple blossoms, it should be fertilized for the first time. With a purely organic liquid fertilizer like ours Plantura Organic Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer, the supply of nutrients is very simple. The fertilizer is added to the irrigation water about once a week and then gets directly to the roots of the egg tree during watering. The nutrient-hungry aubergine variety can therefore absorb important minerals such as nitrogen and potassium very quickly. In the hot months, the plants should be checked occasionally for pest or disease infestation. thrips (Thysanoptera) and spider mites (Tetranychidae) can become a plague on the egg tree. In addition, if the humidity is too high, fungal diseases such as root rot through Fusarium solani, gray mold rot (Botrytis cinerea) or powdery mildew (Erysiphe spp.) occur. More tips about Cultivation of eggplant see this article.

Propagating Egg Trees

You can get seeds from your egg tree yourself and use them to propagate the plant. Basically, the egg tree is a seed-proof variety, as it is self-fertile and usually pollinates itself. In this way, all the characteristics of this special aubergine are preserved and are reflected in the offspring. To be on the safe side, the plants you want to harvest seeds from should be isolated from other eggplants.

If you bag the flowers so that bumblebees and other insects do not pollinate them with foreign pollen, you should shake them every now and then so that they pollinate themselves well. As soon as the flowers fall off, the bag can also be removed. The fruits should remain on the plant for a long time and only be harvested when ripe so that the seeds can develop well. In autumn you cut open the ripe fruits, spoon the seeds onto a handkerchief and let them dry. Stored dark and cool, they can germinate for about 5 years.

Overwinter egg tree

In tropical and subtropical countries, aubergines and thus also the eggplant are perennial. With us, the egg tree freezes to death very quickly in winter temperatures, so you should only try to hibernate indoors. The plant should be as bright and cool as possible, but not cold below 10°C and watered sparingly.

The greatest risk of the egg tree not surviving the winter occurs under the following circumstances: In the case of rot caused by soil that is too moist, at too warm temperatures and with little light and with pest infestation. With a bit of luck, you can get the egg tree through the winter and look forward to an even bigger harvest next year.

Harvesting and using eggplants

The first fruits can be harvested from September. How one Harvest and store eggplants correctly should, you will find out in detail in our special article. The fruits of the egg tree, i.e. the eggplants, are stewed, roasted, gratinated or cooked in curries in southern cuisine. Breaded and fried in a pan, the Eierbaum is eaten as a "vegetable schnitzel". Marinated and baked in the oven, the eggplant is part of Mediterranean antipasti. Sliced ​​on the pizza, the white aubergine is a juicy topping. Eggplants can also be used for vegetarian spreads. The vegetable can be used universally and is suitable for a wide variety of dishes due to its low taste.

Are you curious about other unusual varieties for your own garden or balcony? In our article we give an overview of new and well-tried ones eggplant varieties for hobby farming.