Rooted Futures

Growing Change

Aubergine: Black Beauty

  • Botanical Name: Solanum melongena
  • Family: Solanaceae
  • Crop Type: Fruiting vegetable
  • Other Names: Eggplant; Brinjal; Eiervrug (Afrikaans)
  • Lifecycle: Perennial, grown as an Annual
  • Uses: Food (grilled, roasted, fried, stewed); culinary ingredient in curries, stews and dips

Aubergine (Black Beauty) is a warm-season fruiting vegetable belonging to the Solanaceae family. Plants produce bushy growth with large, slightly fuzzy leaves and purple-tinged stems, reaching 60–90 cm in height.

Fruits are large, oval to pear-shaped, with glossy dark purple-black skin and cream-coloured flesh containing small edible seeds. The fruit is the primary edible part, typically harvested before full maturity when the skin is glossy and flesh is firm.

Commonly cultivated in temperate to subtropical climates as a summer crop, requiring frost-free conditions and consistent warmth. Black Beauty is noted for its reliable productivity, classic appearance, and suitability for fresh market and home garden use.

Climate
  • Climate Suitability
    Warm frost-free summers across most SA regions; tunnels extend season in cooler areas
  • Frost Tolerance
    Frost sensitive
  • Heat Tolerance
    High
  • Sun Type
    Full sun
  • Soil Texture
    Loam to sandy loam
  • Drainage Requirement
    Well-drained
  • Preferred pH Range
    5.8–6.8 pH
  • Water Requirement
    Moderate
  • Irrigation Type
    Drip; Micro Irrigation
Propagation
  • Propagation Type
    Seed
  • Propagation Season
    Late winter under protection to spring
  • Propagation Notes
    Raise seedlings warm; transplant after frost.
  • Germination Days
    7-14 days
  • Days To Transplant
    42-56 days
Planting
  • Planting Season
    Spring to early summer
  • Plant Spacing
    50–70 cm
  • Row Spacing
    70–90 cm
  • Container Suitable
    Yes; large containers
Companion Crop Notes
Benefits from aromatic herbs that deter pests; legumes improve soil nitrogen; avoid other solanums in rotation to reduce disease pressure.

No companion Crops on recorded.

Please contact us should you feel that this is incorrect.

Competitor Crop Notes
Solanums in rotation increase shared pest and disease pressure; fennel may inhibit growth.

No companion Crops on recorded.

Please contact us should you feel that this is incorrect.

Pests & Diseases
  • Pest Types
    Aphids; Whitefly; Spider Mites; Fruit Borer; Cutworms
  • Pest Control
    Use crop rotation, scouting, biological controls, yellow sticky traps and remove infested material; apply approved insecticides only when thresholds exceeded.
  • Disease Types
    Verticillium wilt, Bacterial wilt, Powdery mildew, Phytophthora root rot, Damping-off
  • Disease Control
    Rotate solanums (3–4 years), use resistant varieties where available, avoid waterlogging, remove infected plants, improve airflow and use disease-free seedlings.
Harvest
  • Days to Harvest from Seed
    90–120 days
  • Days to Harvest from Transplant
    60–80 days
  • Harvest Season
    Summer to autumn
  • Harvest Notes
    Harvest glossy fruit before seeds harden; check frequently as fruit matures quickly in warm conditions.
Nutrition
  • Edible Parts
    Fruit
  • Reference Food State
    Raw edible portion
  • Serving Size
    100 g
  • Nutrition Basis
    Per 100g raw edible portion
Calories (kcal)
25 kcal
Calories (kj)
104 kj
Total Carbohydrates
5.88 g
Protein
0.98 g
Total Fat
0.18 g
Dietary Fibre
3 g
Starch
0 g
Total Sugars
3.53 g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.016 g
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
0.013 g
Omega-6 Fatty Acids
0.063 g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.076 g
Saturated Fat
0.034 g
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Trans Fat
0 g
Calcium
9 mg
Chromium
0 mcg
Copper
0.081 mg
Iron
0.23 mg
Iodine
0 mcg
Magnesium
14 mg
Manganese
0.232 mg
Molybdenum
0 mcg
Phosphorus
24 mg
Potassium
229 mg
Selenium
0.3 mcg
Sodium
2 mg
Zinc
0.16 mg
Vitamin A
1 mcg RE
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
0.039 mg
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
0.037 mg
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
0.649 mg NE
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
0.281 mg
Vitamin B6
0.084 mg
Biotin (Vitamin B7)
0 mcg
Folate (Vitamin B9)
22 mcg
Vitamin B12
0 mcg
Vitamin C
2.2 mg
Vitamin D
0 mcg
Vitamin E
0.3 mg alpha-tocopherol
Vitamin K
3.5 mcg

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