Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Vegetable
Origin
Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Mexico, Central America
Types
Nassella tenuissima
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
157
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
driveways, open Woodlands, Roadsides, Rocky areas, Slopes, tree wells
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-1010-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11 - 4
12-3
Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
50.80 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
55.90 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green, Tan
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green, Gold, Tan
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
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
Do not water excessively
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
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Requires little pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 12-6-6 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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, small hedge
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
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
NASSELLA tenuissima
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Finestem Needlegrass, Mexican Feather Grass
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Mexican Feather Grass
Chayote
In German
Mexikanische Federgras
Chayote
In French
Mexicaine Herbe Feather
Chayote
In Spanish
Pluma hierba mexicana
Chayote
In Greek
Μεξικού Αστραπή Grass
Chayote
In Portuguese
Mexican Pena Relva
chuchu
In Polish
Mexican Feather trawy
Chayote
In Latin
Mexicanus Pluma Grass
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Violales
Family
Poaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Nassella
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Stipeae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
1165
1
27800
👆🏻