Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
Europe, Northern Africa, Asia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Shrub
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
37
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Roadsides
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-3
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.50 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Red, Green, Orange
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lobed
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Salt
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Medium
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Showy Purposes, small hedge
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Blood tonic
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Basketary, Used as a dye, Used for making hedge
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
COTONEASTER
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
cotoneaster
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
cotoneaster
Chayote
In German
Zwergmispel
Chayote
In French
cotonéaster
Chayote
In Spanish
Cotoneaster
Chayote
In Greek
Cotoneaster
Chayote
In Portuguese
cotoneaster
chuchu
In Polish
irga
Chayote
In Latin
Cornus
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rosales
Violales
Family
Rosaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cotoneaster
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Maleae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Amygdaloideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
2005
1
27800
👆🏻