Pumpkin on a Stick Eggplant
Solanum aethiopicum
Price: $4.43
SKU: 31700101Choose a variant:
Pumpkin on a Stick is not a pumpkin at all. It is an ornamental heirloom eggplant that has been grown by gardeners for more than 125 years. It goes by several other names too, including Pumpkin Tree, Pumpkin Bush, Mock Tomato, Hmong Eggplant, Red China Eggplant, and Scarlet Chinese Eggplant. Native to tropical Africa, it was domesticated from wild African species and later spread to regions like Southeast Asia, eventually being brought to the Americas in the 1800s as an ornamental curiosity.
The plant grows upright and well branched, reaching about 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. The stems are woody and strong, though staking is a good idea once fruit sets, since the clusters get heavy. Large leaves shade the fruit and help prevent sun damage.
Blooms are small and easy to miss. After they fade in mid to late summer, ribbed fruit begins to form. Each plant produces clusters of 2 to 5 inch fruit, with 6 to 8 fruits per stem. The fruit starts out pale green, then turns a deep scarlet red, closely resembling a small ribbed tomato. As the weather cools in fall, the color shifts again, this time to a warm burnt orange, taking on the look of a tiny pumpkin.
Once dried, the fruit holds its color and shape for years, which makes it a popular pick for fall floral arrangements, wreaths, and other autumn decor. It can be sold or displayed by the single stem or as individual fruit. In parts of Asia, the fruit is also used in cooking, though it has a bitter flavor.
The plant grows upright and well branched, reaching about 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. The stems are woody and strong, though staking is a good idea once fruit sets, since the clusters get heavy. Large leaves shade the fruit and help prevent sun damage.
Blooms are small and easy to miss. After they fade in mid to late summer, ribbed fruit begins to form. Each plant produces clusters of 2 to 5 inch fruit, with 6 to 8 fruits per stem. The fruit starts out pale green, then turns a deep scarlet red, closely resembling a small ribbed tomato. As the weather cools in fall, the color shifts again, this time to a warm burnt orange, taking on the look of a tiny pumpkin.
Once dried, the fruit holds its color and shape for years, which makes it a popular pick for fall floral arrangements, wreaths, and other autumn decor. It can be sold or displayed by the single stem or as individual fruit. In parts of Asia, the fruit is also used in cooking, though it has a bitter flavor.
Plant Size (Height): 48
Plant Size (Width): 36
Days to Maturity: 65
Lifespan: Annual
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Best sowing Method: Start Indoors
Native: Africa
Genetic Classification: Open Pollinated
Plant Size (Width): 36
Days to Maturity: 65
Lifespan: Annual
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Best sowing Method: Start Indoors
Native: Africa
Genetic Classification: Open Pollinated
Planting Instructions:
This is a tropical plant and needs warm weather to thrive. A warm growing season of 100 days or more is optimal. They do best in fertile soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8.
Start seeds indoors eight weeks prior to transplanting. Sow ¼ inch deep in sterile potting mix. Keep moist. Germination temperature is near 80ºF.
Harden off plants before transplanting outside but make sure they are above 60ºF. After the night temperatures are above 55ºF, transplant 12 to 18 inches apart in rows three feet apart.
Start seeds indoors eight weeks prior to transplanting. Sow ¼ inch deep in sterile potting mix. Keep moist. Germination temperature is near 80ºF.
Harden off plants before transplanting outside but make sure they are above 60ºF. After the night temperatures are above 55ºF, transplant 12 to 18 inches apart in rows three feet apart.
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