Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
North America, Central America, South America
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Field Corn, Sweet Corn, Baby Corn, Indian Corn
Number of Varieties
72
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Clay soil areas, Loamy soils, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-5
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, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
White, Yellow, Light Yellow, Peach
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Needs watering once a week, Never Over-water, Over-head 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
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
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, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Well-rotted manure
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
Asthma, Diarrhea, Headache, Nausea, Runny nose, Skin rash, sneezing, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Good for skin and hair, Improve hair condition, Improve skin condition
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Anemia, Antioxidants, Diabetes, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Oil is used as an industrial solvent, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
ZEA mays
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Maize
In Hindi
Chayote
मक्का
In German
Chayote
Mais
In French
Chayote
Blé
In Spanish
Chayote
Maíz
In Greek
Chayote
Καλαμπόκι
In Portuguese
chuchu
Milho
In Polish
Chayote
Kukurydza
In Latin
chayote
corn
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Streptophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Poales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Sechium
Zea
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Andropogoneae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
56
1
27800
👆🏻