Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
17
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forest margins, gardens, Grassland, Homesteads
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-710-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-5
12-3
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Prostrate/Trailing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Purple, Pink, Light Pink, Rose, Lavender
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Burgundy
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Green, Burgundy
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Fall, Winter
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 Spring, Late Winter
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Over-head watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when soil is dry
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
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
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
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
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Alpine, Groundcover, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
ERICA carnea
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Winter heath
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
अल्पाइन हीथ
Chayote
In German
Alpine Heath
Chayote
In French
Alpine Heath
Chayote
In Spanish
Alpine Heath
Chayote
In Greek
Alpine Heath
Chayote
In Portuguese
Alpine Heath
chuchu
In Polish
Alpine Heath
Chayote
In Latin
Alpini Heath
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Ericales
Violales
Family
Ericaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Erica
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Ericeae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Ericoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
605
1
27800
👆🏻