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Plants

eggplant

Solanum melongena L.

Family: Solanaceae · Genus: Solanum

aubergine, brinjal

Placenta I Medium No biomass production
Eran Finkle · CC BY · iNaturalist

Annual or short-lived perennial Solanaceae grown for the fruit. The Bosque de Niebla Guidebook lists eggplant as Placenta I in the medium stratum. Dark-purple fruit eaten cooked; 3–5 month cycle to first harvest.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Solanum insanum L., Solanum trongum Poir.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Placenta I
Ecological role
Pioneer
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, Low
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
Low
Waterlogging tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
5.5–6.8
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Sandy, Clayey
Hardiness zones
8–11
Frost tolerance
1.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
0.8–1.5 m
Recommended spacing
0.5–0.9 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Very fast
Lifespan
≤ 2 years
Time to first harvest
4 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Eggplant takes the Medium stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium · ≈2 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Warm-season vegetable (optimum 24–29 °C), full sun, fertile well-drained light-to-heavy soils (pH 5.5–6.8). Frost- and chill-sensitive; needs ample moisture but does not tolerate waterlogging. Spacing ~0.5–0.9 m between plants.

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of eggplant?

The first harvest of eggplant comes around 4 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for eggplant?

The recommended spacing for eggplant is 0.5–0.9 m.

How tall does eggplant grow?

At maturity, eggplant reaches 0.8–1.5 m tall.

What stage and stratum does eggplant occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, eggplant belongs to the placenta i stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Bosque de Niebla (2019) — Syntropic Farming Guidebook, Consortium Design 2019 , p. 40 (primary_stratum, gotsch_stage)
  2. PFAF Plant Database — Solanum melongena (ph_min, ph_max, light_need, water_need, soil_texture_preference, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, frost_tolerance_c, waterlogging_tolerance, cultivation_notes)
  3. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Solanum melongena (height_min_m, height_max_m, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m)
  4. GBIF — Solanum melongena L. (external_ids, synonyms)

External references

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