Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Ficus benjamina
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
8007
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Temperate Regions, tropical environments, Tropical regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2,440.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
3,050.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red, Green, Pink, Orange Red, Black
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Layering
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water carefully
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
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
10-10-10, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Any balanced general purpose fertilizer, slow-release fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
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
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Rhinoconjunctivitis, wheezing
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai, Cottage Garden
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Reduce Bruises
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Aphrodisiac, Dysentry
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves, Root
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Container
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
FICUS benjamina
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Weeping Fig, Benjamin's fig, Ficus tree
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
रो अंजीर
Chayote
In German
Birkenfeige
Chayote
In French
figuier pleureur
Chayote
In Spanish
higo llorón
Chayote
In Greek
κλάμα σύκο
Chayote
In Portuguese
chorando fig
chuchu
In Polish
płacz rys
Chayote
In Latin
Plorans ficum
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Urticales
Violales
Family
Moraceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Ficus
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Ficeae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
8505
1
27800
👆🏻