Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
South America, Argentina, Chile
Mexico, Central America
Types
Alstroemeria aurea
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
407
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 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
38.10 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
61.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Lavender, Orange Red
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow green
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green, Yellow green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial 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 Summer, Summer, Late 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
Requires regular watering
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
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
Hummingbirds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
angioedema, Rhinoconjunctivitis, Throat itching, Urticaria
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
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
Flowers, Root
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
ALSTROEMERIA ligtu
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Lily-of-the-Incas, Peruvian-lily
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
peruvian lily
Chayote
In German
peruanische Lilie
Chayote
In French
lis des Incas
Chayote
In Spanish
lirio peruano
Chayote
In Greek
περουβιανή κρίνος
Chayote
In Portuguese
lírio peruano
chuchu
In Polish
peruwiański lilia
Chayote
In Latin
Peruviani lilium
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Liliales
Violales
Family
Liliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Alstroemeria
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
1225
1
27800
👆🏻