Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Vegetable
Herbs
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean, Turkey, Western Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Herb
Number of Varieties
73
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm50.80 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Compound
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
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
Clay, 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
Prune after flowering, Remove dead flowers
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Self-fertile
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Leafhoppers, Root Pathogen, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Bugs
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Appetite enhancer, Bloating, Digestion problems, Digestive, Heartburn, Menstrual Cramps, Stomach spasms
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves, Root, Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Medicinal oil, Used As Food, Used in flavouring curries, teas
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CARUM carvi
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Caraway, meridian fennel, Persian cumin
In Hindi
Chayote
शाहजीरा
In German
Chayote
Kümmel
In French
Chayote
carvi
In Spanish
Chayote
alcaravea
In Greek
Chayote
κύμινο
In Portuguese
chuchu
alcaravia
In Polish
Chayote
kminek
In Latin
chayote
Caraway
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Apiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Apiaceae
Genus
Sechium
Carum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
520
1
27800
👆🏻