Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Eastern Africa, Madagascar
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
71
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
gardens, Screen Cottage and Informal Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm550.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Pink, Hot Pink, Magenta, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Cordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, 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
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
-
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
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Cottage Garden, Formal Garden, 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
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Dried heads are used in floristry, Grown for shade
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
DOMBEYA wallichii
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Pinkball, Pink ball tree, Tropical hydrangea
In Hindi
Chayote
Pink Ball Tree
In German
Chayote
Pink Ball Tree
In French
Chayote
Pink Ball Tree
In Spanish
Chayote
Pink Ball Tree
In Greek
Chayote
Pink Ball Tree
In Portuguese
chuchu
Pink Ball Tree
In Polish
Chayote
Dombeja Wallicha
In Latin
chayote
Pink Ball Tree
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Malvales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Sterculiaceae
Genus
Sechium
Dombeya
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Dombeyoideae
Number of Species
51
1
27800
👆🏻