Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Grass
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Middle Africa
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Perennial Grass
Number of Varieties
715
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12 - 1
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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
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, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
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
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Food for animals, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Elephant Grass
In Hindi
Chayote
हाथी घास
In German
Chayote
Elefantengras
In French
Chayote
l'herbe à éléphant
In Spanish
Chayote
pasto elefante
In Greek
Chayote
ελέφαντα χόρτο
In Portuguese
chuchu
capim-elefante
In Polish
Chayote
trawa słoniowa
In Latin
chayote
elephanti herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Poales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Sechium
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
51
1
27800
👆🏻