'Blanche Ronde a Œuf' Eggplant - Solanum melongena

'Blanche Ronde a Œuf' Eggplant – dwarf landrace with white, egg-shaped fruits. 

This compact, early-ripening eggplant produces exceptionally white, egg-shaped fruits with a mild, nutty, aromatic flavor. With its low growth habit, it is perfectly suited for cultivation in greenhouses, protected outdoor beds, and especially in pots. Robust, productive, and open-pollinated – an ideal variety for self-sufficiency and organic gardening.

  Origin & History

‘Blanche Ronde à Œuf’ is an open-pollinated eggplant from France and a historic landrace with a long tradition in French vegetable cultivation. The name means “White Round to Egg” and refers to the characteristic egg-shaped form and the white color of the fruits, reminiscent of chicken eggs. Cultivated in home gardens for many generations, it was especially widespread in rural regions. As early as the 19th century, it appeared in garden catalogues as a “curiosité potagère” (vegetable curiosity). Its unusually white fruits made it not only a culinary specialty but also a popular ornamental plant in cottage gardens.

During the 20th century, the variety largely fell into obscurity due to industrialization and the increasing spread of modern hybrid varieties. Today, it is once again cultivated by organic seed initiatives and conservation organizations and offered as a historic rarity. Characteristic are its strikingly white skin and creamy flesh – a rare feature at the time, which quickly made it a horticultural highlight in the vegetable garden and a valuable contribution to biodiversity.

  Appearance & Characteristics

The plant grows compact and upright, reaching a height of about 40 cm. It produces numerous fruit clusters and bears strong, dark green foliage with characteristic violet leaf veins.

Fruit details:

• Size: Small to medium, approx. 40-60 g per fruit

• Shape: Egg-shaped to round, approx. 5-7 cm long

• Color: Pure white with creamy flesh

• Texture: Tender, juicy, few seeds

• Flavor: Mild-nutty and aromatic - versatile in use

 Usage & Cultivation Highlights

The fruits are excellent for fresh consumption, cooking, frying, grilling, and especially stuffing. Their mild, nutty flavor and striking white color make them a true eye-catcher in vegetable dishes, adding a unique visual and culinary touch.

Thanks to its compact growth and resilience, the variety thrives reliably in greenhouses, protected outdoor beds, and especially in pots. It ripens early, produces abundant fruits, and impresses with its versatility. In addition, it is easy to care for, adapts well to different locations, and delivers stable yields even in changeable weather. Its decorative white fruits ripen evenly, making the plant not only a culinary but also a visual highlight in the garden.

Compared to other eggplants, ‘Blanche Ronde à Œuf’ is very compact, particularly mild, and highly ornamental – ideal for those seeking open-pollinated eggplants with exceptional appearance and history.