VegetableEggplant
Millionaire Purple Eggplant
Millionaire Purple Eggplant is a hybrid Japanese long-type variety that brings efficiency and elegance to vegetable gardens across hardiness zones 2-13. In just 50-59 days, this compact upright plant produces slender, glossy black fruits reaching 8 inches long with brilliant purple calyxes and tender, nearly seedless flesh. Originally developed as a superior successor to the popular Ichiban variety, this eggplant thrives in full sun and grows to just 18-24 inches tall, making it surprisingly space-conscious for containers, greenhouses, or open-field planting.
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
24 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-13
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
This hybrid delivers the speed you crave from a vegetable garden, reaching harvest in just 55 days with remarkably high yields of elegant, tender fruit. The distinctly Japanese long-type form and brilliant black skin with purple calyx create a visually striking plant, while the nearly seedless flesh eliminates one of eggplant's most common frustrations. Early maturity combined with reliable performance makes it refreshingly dependable compared to other heirloom varieties that demand more patience and finesse.
Common Uses
Millionaire Purple excels in any preparation celebrating eggplant's silky texture and ability to absorb flavors. Its tender, nearly seedless flesh is exceptional for stir-frying, grilling, and roasting, where the slender form cooks quickly and evenly. The 8-inch length is perfectly proportioned for slicing into rounds for grilling, halving lengthwise for baking, or cutting into batons for Asian-style dishes where quick cooking highlights the delicate flesh without the bitterness or excessive seeding of larger varieties.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last spring frost in warm soil around 70-80°F. Eggplant germinates slowly compared to other vegetables, so maintain warmth and consistent moisture until seedlings emerge. Provide bright light as soon as sprouts appear to prevent leggy growth.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors after your last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60°F, spacing plants 18 inches apart with 48 inches between rows. Eggplant prefers warm soil, so delaying transplanting until soil reaches 70°F or warmer will result in stronger establishment and faster growth.
Harvesting
Pick fruit when it reaches 6-8 inches long and the skin is uniformly brilliant black with a glossy finish. At this stage, the flesh remains tender and nearly seedless. Harvest by cutting the stem with pruning shears rather than pulling, which can damage the plant. Continue harvesting fruit as it reaches maturity to encourage ongoing production through the growing season.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum melongena
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
solanum
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)
History & Origin
“Millionaire Purple represents modern hybrid breeding at its finest, designed specifically to improve upon Ichiban, a longstanding Japanese eggplant favorite. Japanese breeders developed this variety to combine the elegant long-type form traditional to Asian cuisines with accelerated days-to-maturity and increased fruit quality. The result is a plant that honors its Japanese heritage while solving real problems for contemporary gardeners: quicker harvests, cleaner fruit with minimal seeds, and consistent productivity across diverse growing conditions.”