Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vines
Vegetable
Origin
Africa, South America, Southeast Asia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Oriental Bittersweet, American Bittersweet
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
507
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
All sorts of environments
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
3,050.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,520.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Yellow, Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round with toothed margin
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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 Winter
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water frequently
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 dead branches
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Does not require fertilizer once established
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Leaf rust, Thripes
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Sun
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Fruit Bats, Hummingbirds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Chest Pain, Inflammation, Skin rash, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
For treating wrinkles, Skin cleanser
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds, Suppresses or replaces native plants
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, antimicrobial, Antispasmodic
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Used as a nemiticide, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Celastrus orbiculatus
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Oriental bittersweet, Asian bittersweet
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Asian bittersweet
Chayote
In German
Rundblättriger Baumwürger
Chayote
In French
Asian bittersweet
Chayote
In Spanish
Asian bittersweet
Chayote
In Greek
Asian bittersweet
Chayote
In Portuguese
Asian bittersweet
chuchu
In Polish
Dławisz okrągłolistny
Chayote
In Latin
Asian bittersweet
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Celastrales
Violales
Family
Celastraceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Celastrus
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Celastroideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
405
1
27800
👆🏻