Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
European plum, Gages, Japanese plum
Number of Varieties
715
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Moist Soils, Sandy areas, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm609.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm457.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Pink, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Purple, Violet, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, Burgundy, Bronze, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Pink
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Early Spring, Late Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Sandy
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Grafting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Moderate
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
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
Nitrogen, Phosphorous
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Ants, Aphids, Beetles, Mites
Allergy
-
Abdominal pain, Anaphylaxis, breathing problems, Hives, Swelling, Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Improve skin tone, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Bone strength, Brain disease, Cancer, Cellular Health, constipation, Diabetes, Digestion problems, Heart problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Cosmetics
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
PRUNUS domestica 'Brooks'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Plum
In Hindi
Chayote
बेर
In German
Chayote
Pflaume
In French
Chayote
prune
In Spanish
Chayote
ciruela
In Greek
Chayote
Δαμάσκηνο
In Portuguese
chuchu
ameixa
In Polish
Chayote
Śliwka
In Latin
chayote
Plum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Rosales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Rosaceae
Genus
Sechium
Prunus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Amygdaloideae
Number of Species
540
1
27800
👆🏻