Ping Tung Long
Solanum melongena 'Ping Tung Long'
This Taiwanese heirloom produces stunning 12-inch long, slender purple fruits that are incredibly tender and sweet with no bitterness. The beautiful lavender flowers and prolific production make it both an ornamental and culinary treasure. Perfect for Asian cuisine, it maintains its silky texture even when fully mature.
Harvest
70-80d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
9–12
USDA hardiness
Height
2-4 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Ping Tung Long in USDA Zone 7
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Ping Tung Long · Zones 9–12
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May – May | July – August | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | — | September – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | May – July |
Succession Planting
Ping Tung Long keeps producing on the same plant through the season, so you don't need to succession-sow the way you would with lettuce or radishes. Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost — late February to early March works for most of zone 7 — and set transplants out in April once nights are reliably above 50°F. One planting is enough for a season's worth of fruit.
If you want to extend into fall, start a second round of seeds indoors in early June and transplant out in late July. Days to harvest run 70-80 days, so a July transplant should be producing by late September before first frost shuts things down. The UGA Vegetable Garden Calendar recommends getting mulch down around eggplant by blooming time to hold moisture through summer dry spells — don't skip that step on the second planting, when August heat will stress the plants hardest.
Complete Growing Guide
Ping Tung Long demands warm soil and air temperatures—delay transplanting until nighttime lows consistently exceed 60°F, as this cultivar is exceptionally sensitive to cold and will stall or drop flowers if exposed to chilly conditions. This variety thrives in full sun with rich, well-draining soil amended with compost, needing consistent moisture without waterlogging. Unlike broader eggplant types, Ping Tung Long's slender fruits are prone to sunscald on exposed skin, so maintain adequate foliage cover through judicious pruning rather than aggressive defoliation. The long, tender fruits attract spider mites in dry conditions and flea beetles during establishment, making regular misting and netting particularly valuable early on. A practical tip: pinch the first flower clusters to encourage stronger branching before flowering—this cultivar responds exceptionally well to this technique, rewarding you with more abundant production throughout the season. Harvest fruits when they reach 8–10 inches for peak tenderness, as they lose their silky texture if left to mature fully on the plant.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed.
Harvesting
Harvest Ping Tung Long eggplants when they reach their full 12-inch length and develop a deep, glossy purple color with a slight give when gently pressed—this indicates peak tenderness and sweetness. The skin should appear smooth and vibrant rather than dull or wrinkled. Unlike some eggplant varieties, Ping Tung Long thrives under continuous harvesting rather than single-crop picking; removing mature fruits regularly encourages prolific branching and extended production throughout the season. For optimal flavor and texture, pick fruits in the early morning when they're fully hydrated, as this ensures maximum silkiness and prevents any hint of bitterness from developing.
The fruit is a berry that is egg-shaped, smooth and has glossy skin. The fruit may measure 4 to 8 inches long. It ranges in color from green to white, to purple-black when immature and when it should be eaten. As the fruit matures it gets stringy and bitter. Fruit contains numerous small, flat, pale yellow to brown seeds.
Color: Black, Gold/Yellow, Green, Purple/Lavender, White. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The immature fruit is edible and best used in food preparation. As the fruit matures, it becomes stringy and bitter. The fruits are usually cooked and served as a vegetable. They may be prepared and eaten by frying, steaming, grilling, roasting, or stewing. They may also be stir-fried, pickled, stuffed, and fried with a light breading.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Ping Tung Long eggplants store best at room temperature for 3-4 days, developing a bitter flavor if refrigerated too quickly. For longer storage, keep in the refrigerator crisper drawer wrapped in paper towels for up to one week—plastic bags cause moisture buildup and rapid deterioration.
For preservation, slice and salt eggplant for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture before freezing. Blanch slices in boiling water for 4 minutes, cool in ice water, then freeze in portions. The tender texture makes this variety excellent for grilling and freezing as prepared dishes.
Dehydrate thin slices at 135°F for 8-12 hours to create eggplant chips, or pickle in rice vinegar with Asian seasonings. Due to their mild flavor and tender skin, these eggplants excel in fermented preparations and maintain texture better than larger globe varieties when preserved.
History & Origin
This Taiwanese heirloom represents the long eggplant breeding traditions of Taiwan, where favorable tropical and subtropical climates enabled the development of distinctive Asian eggplant cultivars. While specific breeder attribution and introduction year remain poorly documented in English-language sources, 'Ping Tung Long' likely emerged from either private Taiwanese seed producers or agricultural development programs in Pingtung County during the latter twentieth century. The variety exemplifies Taiwan's expertise in breeding tender, sweet eggplants suited to stir-frying and Asian cooking methods. Despite limited formal documentation, its persistence in heirloom seed networks and international seed catalogs confirms its significance as a regionally important cultivar that has been maintained and distributed primarily through traditional agricultural channels rather than institutional breeding records.
Origin: China South-Central, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
Advantages
- +Stunning 12-inch slender fruits are visually striking both in garden and kitchen.
- +Sweet, tender flesh with zero bitterness makes it superior for fresh eating.
- +Lavender flowers provide dual ornamental and edible garden appeal throughout season.
- +Matures in just 70-80 days, allowing multiple harvests in shorter growing seasons.
- +Prolific producer yields abundant long fruits from single compact plants.
Considerations
- -Highly susceptible to bacterial wilt, verticillium wilt, and phomphis blight diseases.
- -Vulnerable to multiple pests including flea beetles, aphids, and spider mites.
- -Requires consistent warmth and may struggle in cooler or fluctuating climates.
- -Delicate slender shape makes fruits prone to cracking and bruising during handling.
Companion Plants
Basil is the companion most people reach for with eggplant, and the case for it is real enough — the volatile oils are thought to confuse aphids and spider mites, both of which will find Ping Tung Long on their own without any help. Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) work a different angle: their root secretions can suppress soil nematodes over a full season, which matters more on a variety you'll be growing in the same bed year after year. Catnip has some evidence behind it for deterring flea beetles, which are among the worst early-season problems for young eggplant transplants. Peppers share similar water and fertility needs and make sensible neighbors spatially — though stacking too many nightshades in one block raises the odds that Verticillium wilt or Ralstonia solanacearum will move through the planting fast, so keep some diversity in the bed.
Fennel is genuinely allelopathic and stunts most vegetables growing within a foot or two of it — keep it out of the bed entirely, not just at the edges. Black walnut (Juglans nigra) produces juglone from its roots and fallen debris; eggplant is sensitive enough that you'll see wilted, chlorotic plants well before you figure out what's causing it. Corn is less of a chemical problem and more of a practical one — it shades hard and pulls nitrogen from the root zone at the same time Ping Tung Long needs it most, during fruit set.
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms while potentially improving eggplant flavor
Marigold
Deters nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with natural compounds
Peppers
Share similar growing conditions and pest management strategies
Tomatoes
Compatible nightshade family members with similar care requirements
Oregano
Repels spider mites, aphids, and other common eggplant pests
Thyme
Attracts beneficial insects and deters flea beetles and hornworms
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Catnip
Repels flea beetles, ants, and aphids that commonly attack eggplant
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that severely stunts nightshade family growth
Fennel
Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit eggplant growth and development
Corn
Competes for nutrients and attracts corn earworm which also damages eggplant
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #169228)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good general disease tolerance, resistant to tobacco mosaic virus
Common Pests
Flea beetles, Colorado potato beetle, aphids, spider mites
Diseases
Verticillium wilt, bacterial wilt, phomopsis blight
Troubleshooting Ping Tung Long
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Tiny round holes scattered across leaves, especially on young transplants in the first 2-3 weeks after setting out
Likely Causes
- Flea beetles (Epitrix spp.) — adults overwinter in soil and leaf litter, hit seedlings hard in warm weather
- Plants stressed from transplant shock, which slows their ability to outgrow the damage
What to Do
- 1.Cover transplants with row cover immediately at planting; remove when plants are well established and flowering
- 2.Apply kaolin clay as a physical deterrent — reapply after rain
- 3.If pressure is severe, the UGA Pest Management Handbook lists approved foliar insecticides; a single application at transplant can get plants past the vulnerable window
Plant wilts suddenly during the day, recovers slightly at night, then collapses entirely within a week — no obvious root rot or stem damage visible
Likely Causes
- Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum — confirmed by cutting the stem at the base and pressing the cut ends together; stringy bacterial ooze stretches between them
- Colorado potato beetle feeding damage weakening the plant is sometimes confused for early wilt, but won't produce that ooze
What to Do
- 1.Dig up and destroy the entire plant, including as much root mass as you can get — do not compost it
- 2.NC State Extension notes that Ralstonia solanacearum persists in soil indefinitely once introduced, so don't replant nightshades (eggplant, tomato, pepper, potato) in that bed for as long as practically possible
- 3.Grow next year's eggplant in containers with fresh potting mix, kept off contact with native soil
Dark, sunken lesions on the stem near the soil line, plus brown streaking inside the stem when cut; fruit develops dark, water-soaked spots
Likely Causes
- Phomopsis blight (Phomopsis vexans) — a fungal disease that thrives in warm, humid conditions and can move from stem to leaves to fruit
- Overhead watering that keeps the stem base wet for extended periods
What to Do
- 1.Remove and bag all affected plant material — don't leave it on the soil surface to sporulate
- 2.Switch to drip irrigation or water at the base to keep foliage and stems dry
- 3.Rotate out of nightshades for at least 2 seasons; NC State Extension identifies crop rotation as a primary cultural tool against soil-borne fungal diseases
Leaves cupping downward, sticky residue on upper leaf surfaces, and tiny soft-bodied insects clustered on new growth or undersides of leaves
Likely Causes
- Aphids (commonly Myzus persicae or Macrosiphum euphorbiae) — reproduce fast in warm weather, excrete honeydew that leads to sooty mold
- Absence of beneficial predators, often because broad-spectrum insecticides wiped out ladybugs and parasitic wasps
What to Do
- 1.Knock colonies off with a firm spray of water from a hose — repeat every 2-3 days
- 2.Avoid broad-spectrum sprays that kill predators alongside pests; let lady beetles and parasitic wasps work the problem first
- 3.For heavy infestations, insecticidal soap or neem oil applied directly to the undersides of leaves works well — cover all surfaces and reapply after rain
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.