Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Africa
Mexico, Central America
Types
Carissa Carandas
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
47
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-3
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
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
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
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, 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
Equal amount of N,P,K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Chayote
In German
Natal Plum
Chayote
In French
natal Plum
Chayote
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Chayote
In Greek
Natal Plum
Chayote
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
chuchu
In Polish
Natal Plum
Chayote
In Latin
Natal Plum
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Violales
Family
Apocynaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Carissa
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Carisseae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
205
1
27800
👆🏻