Purple King
About this variety
Purple King is an F1 hybrid eggplant built for the produce stand — large, oval, glossy purple fruit averaging 9 to 10.5 ounces, with good taste and keeping quality. The plant is semi-spreading with heavy branching, so give it room to fill out rather than training it narrow.
Its standout trait is a compact, non-spiny calyx, a real handling advantage over thornier brinjal types (light gloves are still good practice). Harvest at the glossy, tender stage — before the skin dulls and the seeds harden — for the best eating quality. As a warm-season nightshade, it's started indoors and transplanted after the soil warms.
Grow guide
How to grow
Start in the nursery
Sow ¼–½" deep in trays or a fine-tilth bed and keep consistently moist but never waterlogged (damping-off is the main nursery risk — good airflow and drainage help). Seedlings are ready in about 4–5 weeks, at 5–6" tall with 3–4 true leaves; harden off before transplanting. Seed rate is about 51–61 g/acre.
Transplant & spacing
Transplant in the evening or on a cloudy day and water in immediately. Space roughly 35"×30" (35"×35" in heavier soil) to give this semi-spreading, heavily branching plant room. Handle roots gently and firm the soil around the base.
Feeding
Eggplant is a heavy feeder over a long season — unlike the bean lines, it benefits from sustained, season-long fertility. Base rates on a soil test; feed at transplanting, then at intervals as it sets and matures fruit.
Watering
Water regularly and deeply, and don't let the crop dry out between waterings — inconsistent moisture stresses the plant and can hurt fruit set. Mulch to keep soil moisture even and suppress weeds.
Harvest
First picking at 80–85 days from seed — roughly 6–7 weeks in the field after transplant. Pick at the glossy, tender stage; mature fruit turns dull with harder seeds. Light gloves are still good practice even with the less-spiny calyx.
When to sow · by zone
| Zones 9–11 | Sow Feb–Mar | |
| Zone 8 | Sow late Mar–Apr | |
| Zones 6–7 | Sow late Apr–May | |
| Zones 3–5 | Late May–Jun · start indoors |
| Zones 9–11 | S. California, S. & central Florida, S. Texas, Gulf Coast, Arizona low desert, Hawaii |
| Zone 8 | Coastal Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, central Texas, coastal Pacific NW, interior California |
| Zones 6–7 | Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mid-Atlantic (PA/MD/NJ), Ohio Valley |
| Zones 3–5 | Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming, New England, upstate New York, high Mountain West |
Seed treatment & handling
This seed has been treated with Thiamethoxam (2.1 mg ai/g seed; EPA Reg. No. 100-941) and Thiram (0.4 mg ai/g seed; EPA Reg. No. 264-929).
Harmful if swallowed, absorbed through skin, or inhaled. Do not use treated seed for food, feed, or oil purposes. Wash hands thoroughly after handling. Keep out of reach of children and domestic animals.
Untreated seed for organic and no-spray growers is coming soon.
Good to know before you buy
- This is an F1 hybrid — saved seed won't breed true, so buy fresh seed each season.
- It's a transplanted crop — budget ~4–5 weeks of nursery time and plan around the full 80–85 day seed-to-harvest timeline.
- Rotate away from tomato, pepper, and potato ground where possible, since these nightshades share several diseases.
- The non-spiny calyx is a genuine, tangible handling advantage — worth calling out on packaging.
Sourcing
Sourced from Ankur Seeds, 27 New Cotton Market Layout, Nagpur 440018, India. Packaged & distributed by Harvest Goals LLC, Fremont, CA · +1 (650) 305-5334.
Origin India · 5 g · F1 Hybrid · Non-GMO · For planting purposes only, not for human consumption.