Scarlet eggplant
Solanum aethiopicum

Family: Solanaceae

What it is like

A herb or shrub. It grows 1-2 m tall. It can grow from 2 to several years. The leaves have shallow lobes. There are 2-6 flowers. The fruit are large, round and uneven shape. They are orange-red. Fruit shape can vary. There are 3 main sub groups. One is mainly for fruit and the other is mainly for leaves.

There are about 1400 Solanum species.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the savannah. In China it grows between 400-1,800 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, East Africa, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Europe, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Northeastern India, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, South America (country/location of origin), Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa (country/location of origin), Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are cooked and eaten. They are also used to flavour other foods. They can be pickled. The young shoots, stripped of flowers and buds are sliced and finely cut for use in soups.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is one of the most common vegetables in tropical Africa. It is exported to Europe. It is grown commercially in Brazil.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. Seeds are collected from fully ripe fruit. They are washed and then dried on paper. They can be stored in a dry cool container out of the sunlight. Seeds can be sown in nursery boxes and transplanted. A spacing of about 1 m is suitable. Seedlings are transplanted after 30-35 days. Plants do not need staking.

Yields of fruit can be 40 t / hectare

Its other names

Local names

African scarlet eggplant, Angivy, Azoko, Binsukula, Biwansi, Ethiopian eggplant, Garden egg, Gilo, Golden apple, Iman, Impwa, Jaxato, Jaxatu, Kainton'ko, Kinsumba, Kouwoundou, Kumba, Losuke, Love apple, Mbolongwa, Mock tomato, Nakasuga, Nakati, Ngogwe, Osun, Ruffed tomato, Tchidifule, Tokalu, Udiagato, Xulune, Yebe, Yekodiye

Synonyms

Solanum gilo Raddi; Solanum giorgii De Wild.; Solanum integrifolium Lam.; Solanum naumannii Engl.; Solanum pierreanum Pailleux & Bois; Solanum zuccagnianum Dunal; and many others