Ichiban.

Concur: while best is subject to YOUR interpretation of the specified parameters Ichiban is the best that I have tried.

Ichiban's are best and I been growing them for last 4 years.

I prefer Ping Tung over Ichiban myself. Ichiban seems to be more seedy.

ikea, I pick them before the fruits go to seeding.Don't let them go to seeding.Pick fruits before they start losing brightness.

Assuming you mean a thin long eggplant is what you mean by Asian, I grow a green skinned one. So prolific, I can't eat them all and hard not to succeed with them. They may not be, technically, Asian but the Louisiana Long Green is my favorite. I have had one plant growing for 3 years now. Bring it into the sunroom for winter under lights and it just keeps on producing. Cut it back last spring and it sprouted again from the stalk and produced all summer.

I'm not sure about it being a prolific producer, but in Japan, the Kamo eggplant is famous and sought-after. I have a plant, but started it waaay too late to realistically expect any production this year...

Ditto's on Ichiban... great choice.

My usual spring planting includes at least 10 Ichiban, 15 Rosita and few other trials (haviog about 30 plants total). But, I would like add a "plus" for the Rosita (OP). It's probably not "Asian" but it seems to be preferred by most that I share with. Also, it seems to outlast the Ichiban.

The Rostia photos below are from a couple of weeks ago. The Rosita plants are still producing and should continue well into October. Most of the Ichiban plants have died.

For reference the cages are about 5.5 ft above ground.

{{gwi:388630}}

{{gwi:14368}}

How many winter lights do you use in the winter? Are they flourescent, or other? I'm assuming you have a bank of windows on the south?

Thank you for the info about ichiban, ikea and Louisiana Long Green eggplants.

By "Asian" eggplant, I assume you are more concerned by the type (long & thin) than by origin?

"Ping Tung" is probably my favorite for flavor, although it is too susceptible to fungal wilt for me to grow it here. I liked "Louisiana Long Green", but it too disliked the combination of Verticilium & cool climate. That wilt was also a problem for "Ichiban", "Little Fingers", and many others that I tried. Fortunately, I found two that are wilt resistant, and thrive in my Northern climate.

"Diamond" is a deep purple eggplant with elongated fruits. Similar to "Ichiban" in appearance, probably a ration of 4-5:1 length to width, although it can be slimmer some years... haven't figured out why. It has a very high yield; you might harvest 4-6 per picking on a mature plant, and it will bear 20 or more per plant in my typical 130+ day season. It is an heirloom variety from Asia (although not the Orient) that is gaining in popularity. I give so much of this away that it causes "zucchini syndrome". ;-)

"Casper" is white-fruited, longer than "Diamond", and one of the mildest eggplants I have tasted. It seems to do best under the cooler conditions of early Summer (when it is often the first to bear) and in the final weeks of the season. It sometimes stops bearing in mid-Summer, presumably from the heat, so it might not do well in hot climates. The yield can be very heavy just before frost, when healthy plants can be 3' tall & heavily branched. The flavor for me is worth the temperamental yield, and good years can be VERY good. My favorite for freezing.

I generally grow both of these, since one or the other tends to succeed regardless of the weather. Not this year, though, when they were stunted by the garden flooding twice. :-(

Grandad, impressive indeed! What's your trick?
I'm in LA area too but flea beetles attack mine (Ichiban, Millionair, and purple haze) constantly.

Ichiban. For taste--absolutely. I barely do anything when I cook them. Some onions and salt and pepper. They taste like butter flavored goodness.

And productive, all thru our hot summer!

Thanks Guavalane. Not sure if I have a "trick". They just seem to do well in our south Louisiana climate. BTW, because of your post I changed my profile from LA to La to as not to confuse Louisiana with Los Angeles.

I would suggest giving Rosita a try. However, I probably should point out that the flea beetles seem to prefer the Rosita. This might be an issue for you. One good thing about Rosita is they produce well into Fall when flea beetles are no longer a problem. I just this morning picked a few more Rosita. Although, they are slowing down quite a bit. My Ichiban typically die out by the end of Summer.

But back on theme of this thread. I tried Ping Tung this year(thanks to mauirose). It was fantastic as the previous posters noted. It will be added as one of my standards going forward. Here are a couple of photos...

{{gwi:14367}}

{{gwi:11569}}

Grandad, you egg plants are looking very beautiful. They also good for your kidney.....

i have been told the Kamo is unparalleled and highly prized. I have never grown eggplants before and this is my first attempt...not sure when they are ripe or exactly how to tell....however, the pick I am including is one of my new Kamo fruits a growing... about 3 inches wide already.

southeast florida area, zone 10b, planted on july 15th 2014.