Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
South America, Brazil
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
17
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
coastal environs
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
610.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Crimson
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Copper
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Burgundy
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Broadly Ovate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
In late autumn, 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
Aphids, 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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic, Antitumor
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
EUGENIA uniflora
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Brazilian Cherry, Pitanga, Surinam Cherry
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Pitanga
Chayote
In German
Pitanga
Chayote
In French
Pitanga
Chayote
In Spanish
Pitanga
Chayote
In Greek
Pitanga
Chayote
In Portuguese
Pitanga
chuchu
In Polish
Pitanga
Chayote
In Latin
Pitanga
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Violales
Family
Myrtaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Eugenia
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Myrteae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
205
1
27800
👆🏻