Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
720
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do not water frequently
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Borers, Cucumber beetles, Mealybugs, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
-
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
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as a nutritious food item, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CUCURBITA pepo 'Papaya Pear'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Summer Squash
In Hindi
Chayote
summer squash
In German
Chayote
Sommerkürbis
In French
Chayote
courges d'été
In Spanish
Chayote
calabaza de verano
In Greek
Chayote
καλοκαίρι σκουός
In Portuguese
chuchu
abobrinha
In Polish
Chayote
latem squash
In Latin
chayote
aestas cucurbitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Violales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Sechium
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
Cucurbiteae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
55
1
27800
👆🏻