Learning to Grow: Are those pumpkins on a stick?

If you’ve browsed the stalls at a local farmers market lately, you’ve likely noticed bunches of tiny pumpkins on sticks arranged into artful bouquets next to the hay bales, gourds and apple cider doughnuts. Cute and quirky, these little stalks look more like something Tim Burton dreamed up than anything that might be found in our backyard gardens. Are they even real?

Known variously as pumpkins on a stick, a pumpkin tree and pumpkin bush, these unusual looking branches are actually a type of annual ornamental eggplant, Solanum integrifolium, in botanical terms. Native to southeast Asia, the diminutive fruit is part of a plant that can grow three to four feet in height with large, broad leaves. Typically grown from seeds, though growing from cuttings is possible as well, Solanum integrifolium can be directly sown into the garden in spring or started indoors and transplanted outside after danger of frost has passed.

For best results, grow ornamental eggplant in rich, well-drained soil, and work in some compost prior to planting. Choose a site with full sun to part shade, and space plants about 3 feet apart to provide plenty of room for them to spread out. After planting, water regularly, fertilize and add mulch to retain moisture in the soil and keep weeds at bay. By mid-summer, you will start to notice tiny flower clusters on the thorny stems, followed by the little green fruits that ripen to deep reddish-orange as the season progresses. At this point, plants can be staked to prevent stems from breaking under the weight of heavy fruit.

To harvest ornamental eggplants, fruit should be picked once it has turned reddish-orange, and it can be used in a variety of dishes in the kitchen. Or, and perhaps more popularly in the Midwestern autumn months, stalks can be harvested for use in seasonal floral arrangements and decorative displays.

Once the fruit ripens and turns color, cut stems near the ground and remove the leaves. Then dry them or use in fresh bouquets with other flowers. They make a fun addition to Halloween décor. (Kids love them, but watch out for the thorns!) And they are the perfect focal point for unique fall centerpieces.

Sarah Marcheschi is a University of Illinois Extension master gardener for Kane County. The “Learning to Grow” column runs weekly during warmer months of the year. Call the extension office at 630-584-6166 for more information. Feedback on this column can be sent to editorial@kcchronicle.com.