Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Western United States, California, Mexico
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Calocedrus decurrens
Number of Varieties
71
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
low mountains, Mountain tops, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm2,130.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
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
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs less watering, Water occasionally
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
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds
Allergy
-
-
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
Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Making Perfumes, Used in pencil industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CALOCEDRUS decurrens
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Incense Cedar
In Hindi
Chayote
Incense Cedar
In German
Chayote
Zeder
In French
Chayote
Encens Cedar
In Spanish
Chayote
cedro de incienso
In Greek
Chayote
θυμίαμα Κέδρος
In Portuguese
chuchu
cedro de incenso
In Polish
Chayote
kadzidło Cedar
In Latin
chayote
incensum Cedar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Pinopsida
Order
Violales
Pinales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cupressaceae
Genus
Sechium
Calocedrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
550
1
27800
👆🏻