Eggplant - Black Beauty
I've gotten seeds from various sources including Sow True Seed, BBB Seed, White Harvest Seed, and through several trades. If you've seen an eggplant in your local grocery store, chances are it's a Black Beauty. This classic heirloom was originally released by Burpee in 1902, and has been a production standard ever since. The USDA has this variety on file as PI 665010 01 SD. These eggplants can be 5-6 or 6-12 inches in length (seems to depend on the seed source) and are dark purple. The skin should be shiny; if it goes dull the eggplant is overripe. Fruits average 1-2 pounds and each plant can produce 4-6, up to 12 eggplants per plant! Plants stay 2-3 (rarely up to 4) feet tall and hold their produce up off the ground, but may need support. Black Beauty is container friendly. These eggplants keep well once removed from the plant. Pick them when they're fairly small to keep the plant producing.
72-90 days to maturity
72-90 days to maturity