Variety field guide
What to expect from White Egg Eggplant Seeds
White Egg produces smooth, ivory-white fruits about the size and shape of a hen's egg.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
White Egg produces smooth, ivory-white fruits about the size and shape of a hen's egg. Picked at 2-3 in., they have tender flesh suited to quick frying, roasting and richly seasoned curries. The small fruits are convenient for cooking a handful at a time, and regular picking encourages the plant to keep producing. Eggplant comes from a long Asian gardening and culinary tradition; this white-fruited form offers a striking change from familiar purple varieties.
Little white fruits for tender, freshly picked meals.
Growing facts
- Botanical name: Solanum melongena
- Maturity or display: 65-75 days from transplanting to young eating-stage fruit
- Mature size: Bushy plants with oval white fruit about 2-3 in long
- Spacing: 24 in between plants; rows 30 in
About the variety
Eggplant was domesticated in Asia and became a major ingredient in many regional cuisines. White Egg is distinguished by its small, egg-shaped white fruit. Its exact breeder and introduction date are not confirmed, so the name is used here for the fruit type rather than as evidence of a specific origin story.
Starting seed
Start 1/4 in. deep indoors 8-10 weeks early. Sprouts in 7-14 days at 75-85 F. Transplant into warm soil after frost; space 24 in., rows 30 in.
Care through the season
Give plants full sun, fertile soil and consistent moisture. Harden seedlings before planting and wait for warm soil and nights. Stake early if needed to support fruit-bearing branches. Pick frequently while skins are glossy; aging fruits become seedy and can slow later production.
Harvest and use
Clip glossy white fruit at 2-3 in., before it yellows. Cook fresh or freeze cooked. For seed, isolate varieties and leave selected fruit to turn overripe.
Saving seed
Eating-stage eggplants contain immature seed. Leave selected healthy fruit well beyond the kitchen stage until the skin dulls and turns yellowish or brown. Isolate from other flowering eggplants to reduce crossing. Extract mature seeds from softened flesh, rinse, dry thoroughly, and store cool and dry.
Common problems
Flea beetles can damage young foliage; protect seedlings with an appropriate barrier and check leaves frequently. Watch for aphids, mites and wilt. Rotate away from other nightshades and avoid saturated soil. Cold conditions stall growth and delay harvest.
Frequently asked questions
When is it ready?
65-75 days from transplanting to young eating-stage fruit.
How should I grow it?
Give plants full sun, fertile soil and consistent moisture. Harden seedlings before planting and wait for warm soil and nights. Stake early if needed to support fruit-bearing branches. Pick frequently while skins are glossy; aging fruits become seedy and can slow later production.
Can I save seed?
Eating-stage eggplants contain immature seed. Leave selected healthy fruit well beyond the kitchen stage until the skin dulls and turns yellowish or brown. Isolate from other flowering eggplants to reduce crossing. Extract mature seeds from softened flesh, rinse, dry thoroughly, and store cool and dry.
