Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern Asia, Australia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Melaleuca quinquenervia
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
57
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Warm and moist climatic conditions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow, Light Pink, Ivory
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Sandy Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Plum
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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 Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Drought, Soil Compaction
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Get enough water whenever the soil is dry
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibiotic, Cough, Headache, hemorrhoids, Respiratory Disorders, Rheumatism
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Flowers, Leaves, Wood
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used as essential oil
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
MELALEUCA quinquenervia
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Cajeput Tree, Paperbark Tree, Punk Tree
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Paperbark tree
Chayote
In German
Paperbark tree
Chayote
In French
Paperbark tree
Chayote
In Spanish
Paperbark tree
Chayote
In Greek
Paperbark tree
Chayote
In Portuguese
Paperbark tree
chuchu
In Polish
Paperbark tree
Chayote
In Latin
Paperbark tree
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Violales
Family
Myrtaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Melaleuca
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
135
1
27800
👆🏻