Solanum aethiopicum Gilo

The African Eggplant or 'Gilo' is a very beautiful exotic eggplant species originating from the African continent. Unique in its dense vegetation that can reach a height of 1.50 m (5ft), it offers fruits with firm, crunchy, and juicy flesh that is best consumed before ripeness to appreciate their sweet and slightly bitter flavour. To optimise its production potential, 'Gilo' needs sunlight and warmth. It appreciates a rich, humus-bearing, deep, acidic to neutral soil, as well as regular watering. It is also appreciated as an ornamental and decorative plant thanks to its colourful fruits. It is sown from February to April in a warm environment and harvested from June to October.

The Solanum aethiopicum, more commonly known as African Eggplant or Gilo, is also called different names depending on the countries where it is cultivated: Jiló, Scarlet Eggplant, Ethiopian Eggplant, or Bitter Tomato. A close cousin of the eggplant classically grown in Europe, it belongs to the Solanaceae family, like tomato and bell pepper. Solanum aethiopicum is a domesticated plant, derived from the wild species Solanum anguivi. It is mainly cultivated in tropical Africa and South America, especially in Brazil. Relatively unknown in Europe, it can be found grown in the extreme south of France and Italy. The African eggplant is one of the main vegetables in humid tropical Africa.

The African Eggplant is a perennial herbaceous plant in tropical climates, cultivated as an annual in our latitudes. It develops as a bushy clump, well-branched, reaching a height of 1 to 1.50 m (3 to 5ft). The leaves, attached to the branches by a long petiole, measure from 10 to 30 cm (4 to 12in) long and 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8in) wide. They are green in colour, silky with slightly lobed edges. From June to August, inflorescences appear in very short cymes, grouping 5 to 12 flowers with a white corolla, sometimes pale violet, 1 to 2 cm (0 to 1in) in diameter, with yellow stamens in the centre. Pollinated by insects, each flower gives birth to a fleshy, globose, ovoid or fusiform fruit, 4 to 6 cm (2in) in diameter, 60 to 80 grams, more or less ribbed, with a smooth skin, green in colour, turning reddish-orange when ripe, containing numerous flat seeds.

It must be admitted that its fruit is very beautiful and pleasantly colours the vegetable garden. It also has many nutritional benefits. Low in calories like most vegetables, rich in water, it contains minerals such as potassium and manganese. It is also rich in vitamin C and K and antioxidants. African eggplant leaves have therapeutic properties (digestive and anti-inflammatory actions) and pharmacological properties (antibacterial, antifungal, and healing). Unlike the typical eggplant in Europe (Solanum melongena), the fruit can be consumed when fully ripe, with reddish hues. However, ripening brings a slightly unpleasant bitter flavor, so the fruit is generally consumed while still green.

Sensitive to cold, the African eggplant does not tolerate temperatures below 4°C (39.2°F). In Europe, it is cultivated in Mediterranean regions or in greenhouses.

In the kitchen: African eggplant can be consumed raw, as fresh fruits or cooked with meats or other vegetables. Highly appreciated in Senegal, African eggplant caviar is a specialty made with lemon and garlic. The leaves can also be eaten as leafy vegetables, similar to spinach. Caution, the stems and leaves contain solanine and should not be consumed raw.

Harvest: The harvest period extends from July to October and varies depending on the planting date. It takes 70 to 90 days after sowing. The fruits are picked as they reach their maximum size and are still immature. At this stage, they are green to orange, with a sweet and slightly bitter taste, as they become more acidic as they ripen. For better preservation, it is advisable to harvest the fruit with its peduncle.

Storage: African eggplant does not keep well as its water content is high. They can be stored for a few days in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator. When exposed to air, mature fruits quickly deteriorate and do not keep for more than 2 or 3 days.

Gardening tip: By leaving the dried fruits on the plant, similar to gourds, they will become very decorative and last longer than any pumpkin.