In the United States, the familiar dark purple eggplants are the most common types sold commercially. They come in two basic shapes, oval and elongated; the latter is sometimes referred to as Japanese or oriental eggplant. Increasingly, you will find white eggplant sold at green grocers and specialty markets; these are usually 6" to 8" long and tend to have firmer, moister flesh than purple varieties.

Other specialty varieties include miniature eggplants that come in a range of shapes and colors: deep purple ones that are either round or oval (sometimes called Italian or baby eggplants); pale violet ones, usually slim and light (known as Chinese eggplants); violet-white Italian Rosa Biancos; and small Japanese eggplants, which are younger versions of the larger commercial types. All of these smaller eggplants are generally sweeter and more tender than the larger varieties; they also have thinner skins and contain fewer seeds.

North Carolina Eggplant Growers/Shipper List

Cooling/Storage Requirements of North Carolina Eggplant