Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
750
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Coastal Mountains, Coastal Regions, Hillside, Open Forest, Rocky areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
10-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Hot Pink
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
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, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water Deeply
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
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Red blotch
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
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Bouquets, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Diarrhea, Inflammation, Jaundice
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Can be made into a herbal tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CEANOTHUS x pallidus
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Wild lilac
In Hindi
Chayote
Ceanothus
In German
Chayote
Ceanothus
In French
Chayote
Ceanothus
In Spanish
Chayote
Ceanothus
In Greek
Chayote
Ceanothus
In Portuguese
chuchu
Ceanothus
In Polish
Chayote
Ceanothus
In Latin
chayote
Ceanothus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Rosales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Rhamnaceae
Genus
Sechium
Ceanothus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
570
1
27800
👆🏻