Asian Eggplant
Thai Long Green Eggplant is a stunning heirloom variety that produces abundant lime-green fruits with a delicate, sweet flavor and silky texture on compact plants that reach about 3 feet tall. Ready to harvest in just 85 days, these elegant elongated eggplants are best picked when under 10 inches long and 2 inches wide, at which point they deliver a succulent, tender texture when cooked while maintaining their structural integrity. This was a favorite of Hudson Valley Seed's 2021 eggplant trials, recognized as one of the best-tasting eggplants they've encountered.
Full Sun
Moderate
?-?
36in H x 24in W
Perennial
High
Hover over chart points for details
What sets Thai Long Green Eggplant apart is its remarkable flavor and texture combination, a delicate sweetness and silky mouthfeel that outperforms many common purple varieties. The compact 3-foot plants produce fruits prolifically, and their beautiful lime-green color makes them as much a visual delight as a culinary one. When cooked, the flesh becomes wonderfully succulent and tender while the fruit holds its shape, making it ideal for traditional Thai preparations or any cuisine that values nuance over boldness.
This eggplant excels in Thai curries, stir-fries, and steamed preparations where its delicate sweet flavor can shine without being overwhelmed by heavy sauces. The fruit's silky texture when cooked makes it ideal for dishes where you want the eggplant to absorb flavors gently rather than dominate. It also works beautifully in braises and can be grilled whole or halved, allowing the tender flesh to caramelize lightly while maintaining its elegant presentation.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last expected frost date, sowing them in warm conditions to encourage germination.
Transplant seedlings outdoors 24 inches apart once all danger of frost has passed and both soil and air temperatures have warmed sufficiently. Harden off seedlings gradually by exposing them to outdoor conditions for a few days before final transplanting.
Harvest fruits when they reach less than 10 inches in length and 2 inches in width, at which point they offer the best balance of tenderness and flavor. Look for fruits that still have a bright lime-green color and yield slightly to gentle pressure, this indicates peak ripeness. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears to cut fruits from the plant rather than pulling, as the stems can be woody. Continuous harvesting encourages the plant to produce more flowers and fruit throughout the growing season.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“This is a Thai heirloom variety, carrying within it generations of selection in Southeast Asian gardens. The specific journey of how this particular cultivar was preserved and brought into Western seed catalogs is not documented in available sources, though its status as a heirloom speaks to its longstanding importance in Thai farming and cooking traditions.”