Perennial eggplants

[BPDUKE]

I'm starting to look in a different direction to replace some of my fruit trees that have not done well in the Tampa area.  I am interested in an eggplant that would be perennial and is a decent producer with a quality fruit.  Having originally been from Ohio, I did not know that eggplant can be perennial and will they do well in The Apollo Beach Tampa area.  Any suggestions on varieties and a place to purchase them?  I also understand that there maybe grafted varieties on a turkey foot?

[BPDUKE]

I understand there are some grafted varieties. Are they available?.

[murahilin]

I bought a grafted eggplant from Frankie's in Hawaii once. It did not survive long but I've always thought about grafting one myself. Here is a link to the old post from 2011 on Gardenweb: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2178161/frankie-s-nursery-order-2011

It was grafted onto potato tree. I've always wondered whether the rootstock could cause the eggplant fruit to be more dangerous to eat. I haven't looked into it though.

[BPDUKE]

I've read that if they are grafted on a turkey berry tree, you can almost make a tree out of them and they are quite perennial.  I would love to get one. Apparently from time to time you can buy some somewhere.

[D-Grower]

I have turkey berry seeds available.

[growinginphoenix]

I have turkey berry seeds available.

Do you have any tricks for getting them to grow? I tried several times and never had success. Since then I bought a plant and found that cuttings root easily. I have also had seeds grow in my yard now that I have lots of fallen fruit.

[Galatians522]

The egg plants that I have grown had other issues besides nematodes and bacterial wilt that would need to be contended with such as red spider mites and leaf spot. This causes me to question how viable a perennial egg plant would be under our conditions--I'd still like to try it, though. 

In my experience the slender Asian types are easier to grow under our conditions. University of Hawaii produced one that was resistant to bacterial wilt. I believe it was called Poamoho. Josh Jamison liked the Chinese String from Baker Creek in his trials. There are probably a number of others that are worth trying. Now of the time to plant them by the way.

[Sharq]

My Casper Eggplants lived for about 9 months until this cold got them. If it was a warmer year, I would expect them to continue going fine. They had some sucker bug issues on the fruit, but the plant themselves were relatively unscathed through the summer. They were in a raised bed, so probably no nematodes.

[D-Grower]

I have turkey berry seeds available.

Surface sow seeds and do not let them dry out while sprouting. Can take a few weeks to sprout.

Do you have any tricks for getting them to grow? I tried several times and never had success. Since then I bought a plant and found that cuttings root easily. I have also had seeds grow in my yard now that I have lots of fallen fruit.