VegetableEggplant
Ao Daimaru Eggplant
Ao Daimaru is a prized traditional Kyoto vegetable from Japan's Saitama Prefecture, where it has been treasured since the early Meiji period. This globe-shaped eggplant produces light green fruit with a distinctive flat bottom and green calyx, averaging about a quarter pound each. Extremely early and prolific, it matures in just 60 to 69 days after transplant, making it one of the fastest eggplants you can grow. Hardy across zones 2 through 13, this open-pollinated variety thrives in full sun and reaches a compact 30 to 36 inches tall, fitting easily into gardens of any size.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam; Rich Organic Matter
Growth Stats
36 in
Height
TypeBush
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-13
Size
36in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
In Japan, Ao Daimaru has held a place of honor on Kyoto tables for over 150 years, and growing it connects you directly to that culinary tradition. The pale green skin and unique globe shape make it visually distinctive among eggplants, while the extra-early maturity means harvests come when other varieties are still flowering. Its prolific nature ensures you'll have plenty of fruit from just a few plants, and the compact bush habit makes it surprisingly manageable for gardeners with limited space.
Common Uses
Ao Daimaru is used in Japanese cooking, where its tender fruit and mild flavor work well in stir-fries, grilled preparations, and traditional regional dishes. The small to medium size makes it convenient for whole fruit cooking methods, and the light green skin suggests a more delicate eating experience than larger purple eggplant varieties.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in warm, moist seed-starting mix and maintain soil temperature between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit for best germination. Seedlings emerge in 7 to 14 days and need bright light once sprouted to prevent legginess.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally warmer at 70 degrees or above. Harden off seedlings gradually over 7 to 10 days by exposing them to outdoor conditions for increasing periods. Space transplants 18 inches apart with 24 inches between rows.
Harvesting
Ao Daimaru reaches harvest readiness 60 to 69 days after transplanting. Pick fruit when it reaches 3 to 4 inches in diameter and the skin remains glossy and light green; fruit harvested at this stage offers the most tender eating experience. Cut fruit from the plant with a sharp knife or pruners rather than pulling. Regular harvesting encourages the plant to produce more fruit throughout the season, so pick consistently as fruit matures.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum melongena ‘Ao Daimaru’
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
solanum
Growth Habit
Bush
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)
History & Origin
“Ao Daimaru emerged as a regional specialty in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, where it became a celebrated kyo yasai, or Kyoto vegetable, during the early Meiji period (late 1800s). This heritage open-pollinated variety represents generations of Japanese seed saving and cultivation, preserved and refined by gardeners who valued its early maturity and abundant yields. Today it remains a living connection to Japanese agricultural tradition, passed down through seed catalogs and home gardeners dedicated to preserving heirloom varieties.”