A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2004 Fun plant!

I just love how fun this plant is - common names are Wonder Egg plant and Easter Egg plant. Latin name is Solanum ovigerum. Starts out with a small bright purple flower, grows into a chicken egg sized fruit, which actually feels hard like an egg shell. Then it turns yellow, orange, and finally brown when it's done.
I can't tell you how many people - adults too! - have asked me if they were "real" eggs growing on that plant!?!

I've always thought those were neat plants

Are the fruits edible?

Karen

I've NEVER seen one of those before!
That is too cool!

uhhhhh.....got any seeds?
Just one?

That's an awesome plant! That would be perfect in my children's garden, always looking for things for them. How did you start it ? seed? plant from a nursery? What zone are you . I'm assuming it's an annual.

Not sure if the fruit is edible...

I got 4 seeds in an online trade about 4 years ago - I wasn't too happy about that since I was more than generous on my end of the deal, especially when only 1 germinated... but...

The plant that grew from that 1 seed gave me a few good eggs from which I was able to harvest quite a few seeds and share. I have grown these plants since, but last years eggs didn't ripen before the first frost killed them off. I'm hoping that at least a few of this year's eggs give me some seeds to share - how could I not share them - it's such a fun plant!!!

I am in zone 6 and they are definitely annuals here. I did try to overwinter the first plant, but it quickly died.

That is a great plant. I'm going to see if I can find one.

cool plant! Wonder how it would do in my area?
Wonder if I can find one??

Sheri and Michele ~

I have never seen this plant sold as a "plant" here, but I have on occassion seen kits sold in places like WalMart around Easter time - they usually include a plastic egg type pot, some soil and a packet of seeds.

I found some online at different places, but on a $1.75 pack of seeds at one place shipping was $7.95! So, I requested catalogs from a bunch of places in hopes I can find cheaper shipping.

(Wow...say "cheaper shipping" 3 times real fast! )

I did! and I can't repeat what I ended up saying :rolleyes:

Karen

See!

And I thought it was just ME ! ! !

Lynne,
I've seen them advertized, and always wondered about those plants, if they reaaaaaally looked like that or what!!!
Thanks for sharing that picture of the plant and
"EGGS" and for letting us know what they look like and that it works!!

Weezie

Cindy, wonder how many seeds are to a pack. We could all chip in for the shipping and share the seeds. Speaking of which, THANKS!!! when you send a box, you send a box.

That's a good idea!

That is one cool plant,

Here's my plant today, after the storm came through early this morning.

My husband taped up the pot, and I hope I can keep it growing until the eggs mature and the seeds are ripe.

awwww that's sad...

I know your heart ache!!!
It's so frustrating isn't it/??

Did any of the "egg's" break????

I'm looking at my morning glories tonight, and they are just coming into buds, gloriously, and tonight there's temp's supposedly to go down to the 30's tonight, and I can't cover them up without damaging them and breaking them off...
So, I expect to go out in the morning and have frosty buds'

It was still a NEAT LOOKING plant!!!
And you did a great job growing it!!!

Weezie

Thanks so much, Weezie - you're always so encouraging.

None of the eggs "broke" and my husband used your favorite tape to tape up the pot , but like you, it got pretty cold here last night and I'm not sure if the eggs will have time to ripen so I can get seeds from them. Oh, well... it's always fun growing them anyway.

My morning glories always come into their glory about this time of year - just in time to be frost bitten and die. Such a shame that they don't bloom earlier in the season! How did yours fare?

Can you take it in the house and let it keep growing?

Looks like auburgine to me also known as eggplant,is this one edible,looks good either way.

Ditto, taking it in. Can you easily bring it in at night and then back out during the day; or just bring it in ?

I tried bringing it in the first year I grew them, but it quickly declined - see first page of this post... it's not really meant for indoor growing - and I don't have any plant lights.

They seem to be ok so far... we'll just have to see what this crazy weather does next!

It's so interesting about different areas. My morning glories are almost finished blooming. So in your area morning glories are fall plants? Where I am the camelias are just starting to bloom.

All the late blooming flowers sound beautiful.
Sure hope the weater holds, so the "eggs" ripen and you can get seeds.

The fruits are probably poisonous . The name you gave, Solanum ovigerum, is in the Solanaceae family (also known as the nightshade family). Most plants in this family are poisonous (with the exception of some wonderful veggies like potatoes and tomatoes )

Here's an update on my egg plant.
It has lost all its leaves, and the "eggs" are starting to turn yellow - but it has had some frosty nights already and they aren't brown enough to harvest the seeds yet. I was hoping to be able to get some seeds this year, since I wasn't able to last year either - I guess this plant needs a longer season than I can give it here.

For Gosh Sakes, Lynne, bring that thing in at night! You're so close! You just need to keep it alive for a couple more weeks, I think.


(Besides , I want some seeds)

That plant ROCKS! I hope you can keep it alive long enough to get seeds.

You should definatly bring it in at least at night if not all the time, it I had a plant like that it would only live inside (our summer climate isn'tvery good here)

(S. ovigerum Dun., The fruits of these are NOT edible.

`White Beauty', S. melongena IS edible however.


Tom