They are sturdy plants. I've grown long purple, rosa bianca, black beauty, and little fingers in containers and never staked them. The largest plant grew to about 30 inches.

Perhaps I could get the plants to grow taller if that were my objective, but I lean out the nitrogen ferts when the weather gets warm enough for them to set fruit.

Rosa Bianca has a great creamy flavor, btw. I hope you like it.

Jan

Mine have never suffered from not being supported. They're a pretty sturdy plant.

Although the plants themselves are pretty tough, once the fruits get some size on them they can pull the branches down so we always give our plants support with those "tomato" cages that are sort of cone-shaped with concentric rings and about 3 feet high. They are the perfect size for eggplants and peppers, but most assuredly not for tomatoes. The cages also help support the plants in the high winds that we get occasionally with summer storms.
I'll second the vote for Rosa Bianca...great flavor, but not super productive like the hybrids and a little later to harvest in my experience. Your mileage may vary...

give our plants support with those "tomato" cages that are sort of cone-shaped with concentric rings and about 3 feet high.

Agree. Those 3-4 ring things that are a waste of time for tomatoes work perfectly for eggplants and peppers.

Dave

Ive only grown black beauty. This year im doing pingtung from seed. My black beauty was a monster and DID need staking on the main stalk as well as some of the branches once the fruit started get size on them. The plant itself took over nearly an entire 4 x4 foot raised bed and was about 4 ft tall.

I use those flimsy tomato cages. I find the fruits are too heavy and they pull the plant over otherwise.

My Rosa Bianca's grew about 4 feet tall and definitely needed staking when they started producing. The ichiban and hansel seemed OK without stakes. But if you have any significant wind, I would stake them too. I didn't use the tomato cages with them, but it sounds like a good idea.

My eggplant loads up late in the season, ditto for peppers, so I must stake them all. I often plant three plants around the outside of small tomato cages, then secure stakes to the cage. I've also used multiple bamboo stakes pushed into the ground around the plants, to which they are gently tied.