Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Eastern Africa, Southern Africa
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Epigeal, Hypogeal
Number of Varieties
72
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Coastal sand dunes, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow, Red, Green, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Reniform
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Sand
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
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
reseeds, root cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do Not over Water, Keep the Soil well drained
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
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
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
Kidney Disease
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Formal Garden, Hanging Basket
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Beans
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Basketary, Edible seed
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
COTYLEDON
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Pig's ear, Dog's ear
In Hindi
Chayote
बीजपत्र
In German
Chayote
Cotyledon
In French
Chayote
Cotyledon
In Spanish
Chayote
Cotyledon
In Greek
Chayote
κοτυληδών kotylēdōn
In Portuguese
chuchu
Cotyledon
In Polish
Chayote
Liścień
In Latin
chayote
Cotyledon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Rosales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Crassulaceae
Genus
Sechium
Cotyledon L.
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
512
1
27800
👆🏻