Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
257
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Well Drained
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 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
90.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Ivory
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive, Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
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
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt, Soil Compaction
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water frequently, Prefer drip-irrigation instead of Over-head 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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
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, Apply N-P-K, Phosphorous
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Pollen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Cottage Garden, Used in parkland
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Rheumatism
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
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
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Shade Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CORDIA boissieri
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Anacahuita, Texas Olive
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Anacahuita
Chayote
In German
Anacahuita
Chayote
In French
anacahuita
Chayote
In Spanish
anacahuita
Chayote
In Greek
Anacahuita
Chayote
In Portuguese
Anacahuita
chuchu
In Polish
Anacahuita
Chayote
In Latin
Anacahuita
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Boraginales
Violales
Family
Boraginaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cordia
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
3005
1
27800
👆🏻