Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Herbs
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Europe, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Basil, African blue basil
Number of Varieties
760
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
11-1
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 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Burgandy, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
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
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
Don't prune in the fall, Prune regularly
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Used As Food, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Basil
In Hindi
Chayote
तुलसी
In German
Chayote
Basilikum
In French
Chayote
basilic
In Spanish
Chayote
albahaca
In Greek
Chayote
βασιλικός
In Portuguese
chuchu
manjericão
In Polish
Chayote
bazylia
In Latin
chayote
ocimum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Lamiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Sechium
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Asterids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
560
1
27800
👆🏻