Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants, Herbs, Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
China, Eastern Asia, Japan
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Platycodon grandiflorus Astra series, Platycodon grandiflorus Fuji series, Platycodon grandiflorus 'Komachi', Platycodon grandiflorus 'Sentimental Blue'
Number of Varieties
713
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Grassland, Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm20.30 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Blue, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Cushion
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Divison, Seedlings, Seperation
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
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
Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Slugs, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds
Allergy
-
Asthma, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
anti-allergy, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Asthma, Bronchitis, chest congestion, Cold, Cough, Diabetes, improved insulin resistance, Sore throat, Tonsillitis, tuberculosis
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
PLATYCODON grandiflorus( Apoyama Group)
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Balloon Flower
In Hindi
Chayote
Balloon flower
In German
Chayote
Ballonblume
In French
Chayote
balloon Flower
In Spanish
Chayote
globo de planta de flor
In Greek
Chayote
μπαλόνι εργοστάσιο λουλούδι
In Portuguese
chuchu
Balão flor planta
In Polish
Chayote
Balon kwiat roślin
In Latin
chayote
balloon flos plant
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Embryophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Dicotyledonae
Order
Violales
Asterales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Campanulaceae
Genus
Sechium
Platycodon
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
550
1
27800
👆🏻