-
FREE P&P ON SEED ORDERS OVER £25 -£2.50 P&P ON SEED ORDERS UNDER £25
We are unable to deliver to N.Ireland, Europe or The rest of the worlD
Organic Aubergine ‘Long Purple’
£2.95
Availability: In stock
Solanum Melongena – 25 Seeds
Aubergine ‘Long Purple’ is an open pollinated, old Italian heirloom. It produces slender, dark purple fruits that can grow up to 20cm long.
The plants themselves are also very attractive and produce pretty, star shaped flowers before fruiting.
Sow indoors in mid winter to mid spring in trays or modules at 18-21°.
Pot on to 8cm pots when the seedlings are large enough to handle.
The plants will need support as they grow.
Harvest when the fruits are firm, plump and shiny.
Seed Story
There is a division of opinion on where aubergines, also known as eggplants, originate from but it is believed to be China or India.
Wild relatives of the eggplant can be found in Africa and Asia.
They arrived in Europe in the middle ages where they arrived via Spain and Italy. There are records of Aubergines in England in 16th Century. It was the Spanish who introduced them to America. Like the tomato, they weren’t used as a food crop for centuries, as part of the nightshade family, they were regarded with caution and were grown for ornamental purposes initially.
They are used as vegetables in cooking but botanically they are actually classed as a berry.
Italian and Egyptian folklore says that the eggplant can cause insanity!
