Black Beauty (Solanum melongena) is the quintessential heirloom eggplant. Plants grow 2-3 feet and provide sustained production of large glossy, deep purple-black fruits with the perfect mixture of firmness and sponginess we expect from an eggplant. The plants are incredibly hardy once established: we've had them thrive in 105+ degree temperatures on our farm and withstand several light frosts throughout the autumn. In our Mediterranean climate, we've harvested fruits as late as December.