Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Aquatics
Origin
Mexico, Central America
North America, Europe, Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Lemna minor
Number of Varieties
737
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Lakes, Ponds, sluggish streams and rivers
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-151-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm5.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm0.12 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Oblong-lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
-
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Cold climate, Salt, Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
In Water
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Plant grows in water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Aquatic Plant
In Spring
Moderate
Aquatic Plant
In Winter
Average Water
Aquatic Plant
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly 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
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Cold climate, Salt
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Swelling
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
-
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
LEMNA trisulca
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Duckmeat, Frog's Buttons, Ivyleaf Duckweed, Star Duckweed
In Hindi
Chayote
duckweed
In German
Chayote
Entengrütze
In French
Chayote
lentille d'eau
In Spanish
Chayote
Lenteja de agua
In Greek
Chayote
duckweed
In Portuguese
chuchu
lentilha-d'água
In Polish
Chayote
Rzęsa
In Latin
chayote
duckweed
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Arales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Lemnaceae
Genus
Sechium
Lemna
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Lemneae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Lemnoideae
Number of Species
538
1
27800
👆🏻