Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Mexico, Central America
South America, Argentina, Brazil
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Syagrus romanzoffiana
Number of Varieties
715
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Forest edges
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-6
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm213.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Orange
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark 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
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very 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
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Does not require lot of watering, Use and maintain water-efficient soaker hoses, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases, Water twice a day in the initial period
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
Cut or pinch the stems, Prune for shortening long shoots, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize before watering, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Wet Site
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
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
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Cattle Fodder
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
SYAGRUS romanzoffiana
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Queen Palm
In Hindi
Chayote
queen palm
In German
Chayote
Königin palme
In French
Chayote
reine palme
In Spanish
Chayote
palma reina
In Greek
Chayote
βασίλισσα φοίνικες
In Portuguese
chuchu
palm rainha
In Polish
Chayote
królowa palmowy
In Latin
chayote
regina palmarum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Arecales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Arecaceae
Genus
Sechium
Syagrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Cocoeae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Arecoideae
Number of Species
561
1
27800
👆🏻