Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial, Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Echinocereus reichenbachii albertii, Echinocereus reichenbachii fitchii, Echinocereus reichenbachii albispinus
Number of Varieties
79
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Desert, Grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
-
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 cm15.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm5.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Green, Dark Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
-
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
-
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
-
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Cold climate, Drought, Heat Tolerance
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do Not over Water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Dispose of diseased portions, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Mealybugs, Scale insects
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Cold climate, Drought, Heat Tolerance
Flowers
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Deer resistant
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
-
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Echinocereus reichenbachii
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Hedgehog Cactus, Lace
In Hindi
Chayote
Hedgehog cactus
In German
Chayote
Igel Kaktus
In French
Chayote
hérisson cactus
In Spanish
Chayote
cactus de erizo
In Greek
Chayote
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
In Portuguese
chuchu
hedgehog cactus
In Polish
Chayote
jeż kaktus
In Latin
chayote
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Sechium
Echinocereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Pachycereeae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
5208
1
27800
👆🏻