Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
750
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Cold Regions, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-8
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, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm27.90 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Blue, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Keep ground moist, Water more in summer
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
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, as it is a flowering plant, use high phosphorous content 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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, 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
Black Dyes
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
-
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Polemonium caeruleum
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Jacob's Ladder
In Hindi
Chayote
Jacob's Ladder
In German
Chayote
Jacob's Ladder
In French
Chayote
Jacob's Ladder
In Spanish
Chayote
Jacob's Ladder
In Greek
Chayote
Jacob's Ladder
In Portuguese
chuchu
Jacob's Ladder
In Polish
Chayote
Jacob's Ladder
In Latin
chayote
Jacob's Ladder
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Ericales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Polemoniaceae
Genus
Sechium
Polemonium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
540
1
27800
👆🏻