Asian Eggplant
Chinese String Eggplant is an heirloom variety that lives up to its poetic name, so slender and graceful that centuries of Chinese cultivation earned it a comparison to string. This East China gem produces abundant harvests of 10- to 15-inch fruit with striking lavender-violet skin and creamy white interior, ready to pick in just 75 days. What sets it apart is its remarkable tenderness and sweetness; the buttery flesh is delicate enough to enjoy raw in salads, yet transforms beautifully when sautéed or grilled. This is the variety serious eggplant lovers seek out.
Full Sun
Moderate
9-11
?in H x ?in W
Perennial
High
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Chinese String Eggplant is prized for its exceptional tenderness and subtle sweetness that outshines most other varieties. The fruit's slender, elegant form and lavender-violet coloring make it as beautiful in the garden as it is on the plate. Its high productivity and quick 75-day maturation mean you'll harvest abundantly throughout the season. The buttery texture of the flesh is remarkably free of bitterness, making it equally at home in a fresh salad or wok.
This eggplant shines in the wok, where its tenderness becomes an asset rather than a liability, the thin flesh cooks quickly and absorbs flavors beautifully in stir-fries and Chinese dishes. Its exceptional sweetness and buttery texture also make it one of the few eggplant varieties that works fresh in salads, sliced thin and dressed simply to let its delicate character shine. Grilling is another superb application, where the exterior develops a light char while the interior remains tender. Its high productivity means you'll have plenty of fruit to experiment with sautéing, roasting, and any preparation you can imagine.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Maintain soil temperature at 65°F for germination, which typically occurs within 7 to 10 days. Eggplants benefit from bottom heat and consistent warmth, so consider using a heat mat to maintain optimal germination temperature. Once seedlings emerge, provide bright light immediately to prevent leggy growth.
Transplant seedlings outdoors only after nighttime temperatures reliably stay above 60°F and soil has warmed to at least 60°F. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 24 inches apart to allow for good air circulation and full canopy development.
Pick fruit when they reach 10 to 15 inches long and the skin has turned a deep lavender-violet color. At this stage, the flesh is at its most tender and sweet. The fruit should feel slightly firm to the touch but yield gently to pressure, this indicates the seeds inside are still tender rather than developed and hard. Harvest regularly to encourage continued flowering and fruiting throughout the season. Use a sharp knife or pruners to cut fruit from the plant rather than pulling, which can damage the branch.
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“This variety carries the weight of centuries of Chinese horticultural tradition. The name itself, String Eggplant, reflects how Chinese growers refined this cultivar over generations, selecting for its distinctively slender, elongated form that resembles nothing so much as a piece of string. It emerged from the agricultural heart of East China, where small-scale farmers and gardeners continually selected seed from the most tender, prolific plants, gradually perfecting a variety that would thrive in the region's warm summers and produce consistently sweet, delicate fruit. That accumulated knowledge, passed down through families and communities, is what gardeners inherit when they grow this heirloom today.”