Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Nilambur teak, Adilabad teak
Number of Varieties
75
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Hillside, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm2,740.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Tan, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
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, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Water daily during growing season
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 dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
-
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
Birds, Woodpeckers
Allergy
-
Eye irritation, Red eyes
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
For treating wrinkles, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Absorbs greenhouse gases, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Anemia, Inflammation, Swelling
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Root bark
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used in construction, Used in pencil industry, Wood is used for making furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
TECTONA grandis
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
East Indian Oak, Teak
In Hindi
Chayote
सागौन
In German
Chayote
Teak
In French
Chayote
Teak
In Spanish
Chayote
Teak
In Greek
Chayote
Teak
In Portuguese
chuchu
Teak
In Polish
Chayote
Teak
In Latin
chayote
Teak
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Lamiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Verbenaceae
Genus
Sechium
Tectona
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
55
1
27800
👆🏻