Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
Texas, Mexico
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
-7
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Semi desert, shade of desert, Shaded sites
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1310-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-3
Sunset Zone
23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
-
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Rooted stem cutting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the Soil well drained, occasional watering once established
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Dry Conditions
Flowers
-
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
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Slopes hedging
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Making cosmetics, Moisturizing
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Eczema
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
wax
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc.
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
EUPHORBIA antisyphilitica
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
wax plant
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Candelilla
Chayote
In German
candelilla
Chayote
In French
candelilla
Chayote
In Spanish
candelilla
Chayote
In Greek
candelilla
Chayote
In Portuguese
candelilla
chuchu
In Polish
candelilla
Chayote
In Latin
candelilla
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Euphorbiales
Violales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Euphorbia
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
-5
1
27800
👆🏻