Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Ornamental Grasses and Bamboo
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
107
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Dry areas, Dry Forest, Rocky areas
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.96 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue Green
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Blue Green, Tan, Silver, Gray
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Salt
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, occasional watering once established, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Dry Conditions
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Asthma, Itchiness, Rash, Rhinitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Stem
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
HELICTOTRICHON sempervirens
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Blue Oat Grass
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
ब्लू जई घास
Chayote
In German
Blau Ährengras
Chayote
In French
Bleu Oat Grass
Chayote
In Spanish
Azul hierba de avena
Chayote
In Greek
Μπλε βρώμης Grass
Chayote
In Portuguese
Azul Aveia
chuchu
In Polish
Niebieski Owies trawa
Chayote
In Latin
Blue Oat Grass
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Violales
Family
Poaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Helictotrichon
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Aveneae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Pooideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
705
1
27800
👆🏻