The golden fruits of the golden-and-silver eggplant are brilliant and particularly endearing.

Golden-and-silver eggplant, also known as ornamental eggplant, is a perennial fruit-ornamental plant of the Solanum genus in the Solanaceae family, cultivated as an annual, suitable for both eating and ornament. The golden-and-silver eggplant is a variation of the edible eggplant, shrub-like, and can be grown in pots or in the ground. Leaves alternate, elliptical. Flowers purple, with five petals and a yellow center, resembling a five-pointed star flower. The plant has a sturdy form, and flowers in all four seasons can set fruit, with 30-50 fruits per plant and a single fruit weight of 30-50 grams. The fruit is elliptical; the berry is white when first formed and gradually turns golden yellow as it matures, bearing abundant fruit and dazzling to the eye, like gold and silver treasures hanging all over the branches, hence the name "golden-and-silver eggplant."

The golden-and-silver eggplant is highly ornamental, suitable for decorating halls, balconies, and courtyards, or placed on desks or stands, delighting the eye and never growing tiresome to look at, hence it is also called "ornamental eggplant." The golden-and-silver eggplant blooms in early summer and sets fruit successively; the fruit is elongated and elliptical. Because the times of fruit set and ripening differ, across the whole plant one can see the deep green of the leaves, the brilliant purple of the flowers, the pure white of young fruits, the golden yellow of ripe fruits, and the emerald green of the stems -- green, purple, white, yellow, and cyan, a riot of color that enhances one another. To maintain the long-term leaf-, flower-, and fruit-viewing effect of potted golden-and-silver eggplant, regular shaping and management are required.

Shaping: The golden-and-silver eggplant can be propagated by division or sowing, mainly by sowing, which can be done in all four seasons. When the seedlings are about 15 cm tall, they need to be pinched to encourage more branching and a short, sturdy plant form. After the leaves grow dense, leaves must be removed; remove the large, withered, and yellowed old leaves to improve ventilation and light penetration, and to make the leaves fine and thick. When removing leaves, also prune away leggy branches, overly dense branches, dead branches, and diseased or pest-infested branches to keep the plant shape attractive. Each year, when repotting, carry out root exposure; the method is to take the plant out with soil, being careful not to shake off flowers or fruits, fill a new pot with about 7 cm of new soil, and apply sufficient base fertilizer. Before potting, cut off about 5 cm of old soil and fibrous roots from the lower part of the root ball, then place the plant into the pot, and remove soil that rises above the pot surface and expose the roots. When removing the surface soil, water can be used to wash it away to avoid damaging the roots. After root exposure, some leaves will turn yellow and fall off within 2-3 days; after leaf fall, more fruits can be revealed, increasing ornamental value. To maintain the ornamental effect over the long term, fertilizer and water management must also be strengthened.

Management: The golden-and-silver eggplant likes warmth and humidity and is not drought-tolerant. During the growing period, water twice a day, morning and evening; in high temperature and drought, water 2-3 times a day. If leaves are found wilting, promptly spray the foliage and water the soil. When watering at noon in summer, the water temperature should be close to the soil temperature so as not to damage the roots; the water should be warmed in advance in the sun for use. In the rainy season, pay attention to drainage. The golden-and-silver eggplant likes fertilizer; in addition to sufficient base fertilizer, usually apply light fertilizer frequently, and applying light fertilizer every day is also fine. Only with sufficient fertilizer and water can the plant be robust, the leaves emerald green, the flowers abundant, and the fruits plentiful. The golden-and-silver eggplant often has poor ventilation due to dense leaves, and thus more pests. The main pest is red spider mite, which can be controlled by spraying with water amine diluted 500 times with water.