Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
South America
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Peruvian peppertree, peppercorn tree, Peruvian mastic
Number of Varieties
7100
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Dappled Shade, open Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Weeping
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm1,219.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm1,219.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Light Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Pink, Rose
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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
Cut limbs, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Pollution
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Irritate the mucus membrane
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Antiemetic, Antirheumatic, Appetizer, Digestive, Miscellany, Purgative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Condiment, Gum
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Feature Plant, Rock Garden / Wall, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
SCHINUS molle
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Peppertree
In Hindi
Chayote
Peppertree
In German
Chayote
Peppertree
In French
Chayote
Peppertree
In Spanish
Chayote
peppertree
In Greek
Chayote
Peppertree
In Portuguese
chuchu
Peppertree
In Polish
Chayote
Peppertree
In Latin
chayote
Peppertree
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Sapindales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Anacardiaceae
Genus
Sechium
Schinus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Anacardioideae
Number of Species
5600
1
27800
👆🏻