Ichiban Eggplant's Knobby Knees

Ichiban eggplant is a fascinating plant. Early in the season, the velvet texture of the leaves beckoned gentle touches. 

I can't think of a vegetable with prettier flowers than the eggplant.

Ichiban eggplant blossom.

"Black Beauty" eggplant blossom.

Now that the plant is large, I am struck by the structure. 

The eggplants are suspended from a stem which appears far too spindly to support the weight. That stem amazingly extends outward, remaining nearly horizontal, in a gravity-defying display. 

To my physical therapist's eye, it looks like a thigh with two knobby knees attached, sitting in the air. From the knobby knees, if you follow the line of the lower legs downward, you come to the purple elf shoes with upturned toes. 

Luckily for these elves, their shoes need no polish, the shine is brilliant! Love your socks, girl.

Being the delightful plant that is it, the ichiban eggplant elf shoes can dance. When the shoes are bumped they do indeed swing from those knobby knees. 

To me it is incredible the way the plant allows the eggplants to swing without breaking the stem. 

Our plant is loaded, and the time is drawing near that we will be harvesting our first ichiban.