Eggplant - Turkish Orange
I bought these seeds from SeedsNow. The name throws people off for this variety. Yes, it is an heirloom from Turkey, and yes, it does produce tennis ball sized bright orange fruits, but despite every single seed seller showing photos of gorgeous orange eggplants, this variety is meant to be eaten green. Of course you could certainly grow it as an ornamental and let the eggplants grow to full maturity and have orange tennis ball sized fruits, but they will be seedy and bitter then. Pick them when they are green, just starting to turn cream and you'll have a tasty harvest! I found several reviews complaining that this variety can often be afflicted by bug infestations, and another seed seller who claims Turkish Orange is insect resistant. Likewise, I found one reference to plants that grow 18-22 inches tall, and another claiming they're large plants, up to 4 feet tall. They're supposed to be good in containers, and may or may not need support (again, reviews seem to vary). Each plant can produce 12-20+ 3-inch eggplants. Just remember - eat these ones green to cream, leave the orange for ornamental value or seed saving.
65-85 days to maturity
65-85 days to maturity