Solanum aethiopicum. Pumpkin on a Stick is a crazy cousin of the traditional eggplant. Small orange fruits develop along prickly stems that emerge from attractive, bushy plants at the end of summer. The fruits are used in certain Asian dishes, but they are bitter and need to be prepared carefully. We grow them as a simple ornamental eggplants and dry the stems with fruits attached for fall displays. The plants grow well in containers and raised beds, and are particularly productive in a greenhouse setting. Sow and grow as you would any other eggplant. Also known as Mock Tomato, Hmong Eggplant, Ethiopian Nightshade, and Chinese Scarlet Eggplant