Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
South America
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Heliotropium
Number of Varieties
7250
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Coastal Regions, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
10-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm66.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm61.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Medium
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, 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, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Mealybugs, Spider mites, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Sore throat, Uterine Displacement
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes, Making Perfumes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for bedding in gardens
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
HELIOTROPIUM arborescens
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Heliotrope, Common Heliotrope, Garden Heliotrope
In Hindi
Chayote
हेलीओट्रोप
In German
Chayote
Heliotrop
In French
Chayote
héliotrope
In Spanish
Chayote
heliotropo
In Greek
Chayote
ηλιοτρόπιο
In Portuguese
chuchu
heliotrópio
In Polish
Chayote
heliotrop
In Latin
chayote
Heliotrope
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Lamiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Sechium
Heliotropium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Heliotropioideae
Number of Species
5250
1
27800
👆🏻