Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
-7
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-3
Sunset Zone
H2, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,370.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,520.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Salt
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires a lot of watering
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
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
Drought
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
constipation, Diarrhea, Digestive disorders, Dysentry, Fever, Tooth ache
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Making Shampoo, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Used As Food
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
ALEURITES moluccanus
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Candleberry, Candlenut, Kukui
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
candlenut पेड़
Chayote
In German
Candlenut Baum
Chayote
In French
arbre Candlenut
Chayote
In Spanish
árbol candlenut
Chayote
In Greek
candlenut δέντρο
Chayote
In Portuguese
candlenut árvore
chuchu
In Polish
Tung Molukański drzewo
Chayote
In Latin
Candlenut ligno
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Spermatophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Dicotyledonae
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Violales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Aleurites
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Aleuritideae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Crotonoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
6005
1
27800
👆🏻