Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
7120
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm35.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Purple, Light Green, Burgundy, Silver
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Purple, Light Green, Burgundy, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Purple, Light Green, Burgundy, Silver
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
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
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires watering in the growing season
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
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
-
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
Mouth itching, Throat itching, Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Indoor Air Purification, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Rheumatism
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Rhizomes
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Leaves used for wrapping food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
HOMALOMENA Wallisii
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Homalomena
In Hindi
Chayote
Homalomena
In German
Chayote
Homalomena
In French
Chayote
Homalomena
In Spanish
Chayote
Homalomena
In Greek
Chayote
Homalomena
In Portuguese
chuchu
homalomena
In Polish
Chayote
Homalomena
In Latin
chayote
Homalomena
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Arales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Araceae
Genus
Sechium
Homalomena
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5122
1
27800
👆🏻