Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
756
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Mountains, Upland
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-2
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Red, Rose, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
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
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Pollution, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do Not over Water, Requires a lot of watering
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
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Leaf spot, Root rot
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
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
Broken Bones, Burns, Sore throat, Stomach aliments, Urine infections
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
PENSTEMON barbatus
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Beardlip Penstemon, Scarlet Beardtongue
In Hindi
Chayote
Beardlip Penstemon
In German
Chayote
Beardlip Penstemon
In French
Chayote
penstemon beardlip
In Spanish
Chayote
penstemon beardlip
In Greek
Chayote
beardlip penstemon
In Portuguese
chuchu
penstemon beardlip
In Polish
Chayote
beardlip penstemon
In Latin
chayote
Birdlip penstemon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Lamiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Sechium
Penstemon
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Dicotyledonous, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
540
1
27800
👆🏻