Solanum melongena
Origin: Kandahar, Afghanistan
Improvement status: Cultivar
Seeds per packet: ~40 ($3.50)
Germination tested 11/2022: 98%
Life cycle: Annual
EFN INTRODUCTION. This very unique and rare eggplant is from Kandahar, Afghanistan. It was collected by a USDA plant explorer named E.E. Smith, during a time when it would not have been unusual for a scientist from the United States to travel to Afghanistan. The name means, as far as we can tell, "Sesame Eggplant," and indeed — though it might be our imaginations at work — the cooked fruit has a flavor somewhat like a milder version of tahini. They are a pale green when best for eating, and ripen to a bright vivid yellow when ready to be harvested for seed. Many attributes make this a worthy variety to grow, but its drought resistance may be most notable. To growers with cooler seasons and in other places where eggplants are a challenge to grow: give the "Sesame Eggplant" a try! You won’t be disappointed.
Not as early as the Chi Yei Eggplant that we sell, but does ripen in time in Minnesota from our experiences in a multiple years.
GROWING TIPS: Start seeds indoors in March. Plant out in field after danger of last frost. Plants should be 18-24 inches apart. Full sun preferred. Harvest at decent size when pale green.
