Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
Mexico, Central America
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
387
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
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
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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, 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
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Dry Conditions
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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, Wildlife
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Switchgrass
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Switchgrass
Chayote
In German
Switchgrass
Chayote
In French
switchgrass
Chayote
In Spanish
switchgrass
Chayote
In Greek
switchgrass
Chayote
In Portuguese
switchgrass
chuchu
In Polish
switchgrass
Chayote
In Latin
switchgrass
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Violales
Family
Poaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Panicum
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Paniceae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
4505
1
27800
👆🏻