How to grow eggplant. 1st Chapter

The aubergine is a vegetable that belongs to the solanaceous or potato family, and which is known scientifically as Solanum melongena.

It is an herbaceous plant although the stems, with their lignified woody tissue tend to make it resemble a small tree or bush. It is cultivated as an annual.

The aubergine plant possesses a very strong deep root system.

The stems are strong, hairy and thorny with a determined growth rate when referring to creeping shoots or an indefinite growth rate when talking about straight, erect stems.

The main stem includes short internodes which fork out into secondary stems, which then divide at the leaf axils.

The leaves are positioned alternately along the stem. They have a long stalk and are large, complete and oval in shape with thorny nerves.

The underneath part of the leaves are covered with a greyish down.
The flowers tend to droop and can appear either by themselves or in clusters of 3 to 5 flowers.