Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Kniphofia uvaria
Number of Varieties
770
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Damp Places, Marshy ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-4
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm50.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow, Red, Orange, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Blue Green, Gray Green, Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs more water during establishment, Water Deeply, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases, Water in the early morning hours
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
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
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Onion thrips, Red blotch, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Moisture
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
Snails
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Borders, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover
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
-
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
KNIPHOFIA 'Border Ballet'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Tritoma, Wisley Blue Spring Starflower, Wisley Blue Springstar
In Hindi
Chayote
Tritoma
In German
Chayote
Tritoma
In French
Chayote
Tritoma
In Spanish
Chayote
tritoma
In Greek
Chayote
tritoma
In Portuguese
chuchu
Tritoma
In Polish
Chayote
Tritoma
In Latin
chayote
Trytoma
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Asparagales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Liliaceae
Genus
Sechium
Kniphofia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
572
1
27800
👆🏻