Aubergine Pumpkin on a stick is a unique, unusual and beautiful-looking plant. Aubergine Pumpkin on a stick is also known as pumpkin tree, pumpkin bush, mock tomato, Hmong eggplant, Red China eggplant, and Scarlet Chinese eggplant. Aubergine Pumpkin on a stick is a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), as are, among others: bell pepper, tamarillo, prickly pear, Chinese boxthorn, mandrake, shoo-fly-plant, tobacco plant, pineapple cherry, Chinese lantern plant, tomatillo, potato, aubergine, three-flowered nightshade, pepino, antruwa, downy nightshade and marmalade bush. This plant originates from Asia and West Africa (including Ethiopia). It is a decorative fruit that can be stored for a long time. The red-orange fruits resemble mini beef tomatoes or small pumpkins. The edible fruits are slightly sweet with a distinct bitterness. That is why aubergine Pumpkin on a stick is usually used as an ornamental fruit and dried flower. They can be used as decoration in flower arrangements, dried bouquets, on the fruit bowl and on the autumn table. Dried on the stem, they can also be placed in a vase.
Before the fruits appear, there are first cute little white flowers. Aubergine Pumpkin on a stick can be harvested from August till October. Give these plants a very sunny, sheltered and light spot with sturdy support. This is because the stems are heavily loaded with fruit. Also very suitable for growing along fences, hedges, trellises and wire mesh. Aubergine Pumpkin on a stick is a very popular vegetable in north-east India. This vegetable is mainly eaten in combination with pork. The leaves of this aubergine Pumpkin on a stick can also be eaten. The leaves are probably more nutritious than the fruits. The fruit can be eaten both raw and cooked. The fruits are usually harvested green, before the skin becomes too thick. Poisonous to cats, dogs and horses. Non hardy annual. Height: 100 cm.
Indoor sowing: March - April
Outdoor sowing: April - May
Germination: 7 - 14 days
Germination temp.: 20 - 25 ºC
Sowing depth: shallow - ½ cm
Planting distance: 70 - 80 cm
Plant position: sunny - sheltered (greenhouse)
Flowering period: June - October
Harvesting period: August - October
Sow indoors from March till April. Sow in seed trays filled with well-moistened potting soil. Sow thinly and shallowly and don't cover the seeds, as aubergine Pumpkin on a stick is a light germinator. Press the seeds gently into the soil. Keep well moistened and warm and ensure sufficient light. Cover the trays with a lid. Remove the lid as soon as the seedlings emerge. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, they can be potted on into separate pots. Keep well warm and don't let the temperature drop at night.
Harden off the young plants by placing them in the sun during the day for about 10 till 14 days, from the beginning of May. After this, the young plants can be placed in a very sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil. If necessary, place them in a greenhouse or unheated greenhouse. Maintain a planting distance of 70 till 80 cm. Keep well moistened and weed-free. Provide the plants with sturdy support.
Sowing outdoors from April on. Sow in the ground or in trays filled with moist potting soil in a heated greenhouse if necessary. Sow thinly and shallowly. Don't cover the seeds, as aubergine Pumpkin on a stick is a light germinator. Keep well moistened and warm. This plant requires a minimum germination temperature of 20 ºC; colder temperatures are not suitable. It is better to wait longer before sowing than to sow when the temperature is too cold. Plant the young plants in their final location. This tropical plant does best in a heated or unheated greenhouse, but a very sunny, warm and sheltered spot with well-drained soil in the open ground is also an option. Maintain a distance of 70 till 80 cm. Aubergine Pumpkin on a stick flowers from June till October. From August onwards, these attractive decorative fruits can be harvested. Harvest together with a large part of the stem.
