Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Middle Africa
Mexico, Central America
Types
Solanum integrifolium
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
187
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 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
90.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Orange, Gold, Orange Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
imparipinnate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
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 a lot of watering
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Rich
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full 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
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-oxidant, Digestive, Fiber, Minerals
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Animal Feed, For making oil, Used as a nutritious food item
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Fruit Tree
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
SOLANUM integrifolium
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Chinese Scarlet Eggplant, Pumpkin Tree, Turkish Eggplant, Turkish Orange Eggplant
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
कद्दू पेड़
Chayote
In German
Kürbis-Baum
Chayote
In French
arbre de citrouille
Chayote
In Spanish
árbol de calabaza
Chayote
In Greek
δέντρο κολοκύθας
Chayote
In Portuguese
árvore abóbora
chuchu
In Polish
drzewa dyni
Chayote
In Latin
PEPO ligno
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Violales
Family
Oleaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Fraxinus
Sechium
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
15
1
27800
👆🏻