Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, China, Melanesia, Australia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Ceiba casearia, Bombax pentandrum
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
107
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,830.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,830.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Orange Red
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Late Winter
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Medium
In Summer
Moderate
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune when young, Remove dead branches
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial leaf spot, Red blotch, Root rot
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Soil Compaction
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Hummingbirds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Headache, Pulmonary oedema, Respiratory distress, wheezing
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin tone, Making cosmetics, Moisturizing, Skin irritation
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aphrodisiac, Diuretic
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Oil is used as an industrial solvent, Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Ceiba pentandra
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Cotton Tree, Red Kapok, Red-silk-cotton Tree
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
सफ़ेद सेमल / शाल्मली
Chayote
In German
Kapok baum
Chayote
In French
Fromager
Chayote
In Spanish
Ceiba
Chayote
In Greek
Ceiba
Chayote
In Portuguese
Mafumeira
chuchu
In Polish
Puchowiec pięciopręcikowy
Chayote
In Latin
Ceiba
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malvales
Violales
Family
Bombacaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Ceiba
Sechium
Clade
Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
105
1
27800
👆🏻