Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Mexico, Central America
South America, Brazil
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
730
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1511-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
10-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm25.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Red, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Divison, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings, Tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
20-20-20 amount, High phosphorus, Water soluble fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Citrus leaf miner
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Bees, Hummingbirds, pollinators
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage 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
anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Anti-oxidant, Antiviral, hepatoprotective
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
SINNINGIA speciosa
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Sinningia, Gloxinia
In Hindi
Chayote
Sinningia
In German
Chayote
Sinningia
In French
Chayote
Sinningia
In Spanish
Chayote
Sinningia
In Greek
Chayote
Sinningia
In Portuguese
chuchu
Sinningia
In Polish
Chayote
Sinningia
In Latin
chayote
Sinningia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Lamiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Gesnariaceae
Genus
Sechium
Sinningia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Gloxinieae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
565
1
27800
👆🏻