Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Mexico, Central America
Types
Herbaceous perennial
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
407
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lakes, Pastures, Prairies, Roadsides, Swamps, Woodlands
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson, Dark Red
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly 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
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
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Insects
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Headache, Rheumatism, Stomach pain
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Mixed Border, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
LOBELIA cardinalis
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Cardinal Flower
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Cardinal Flower
Chayote
In German
Cardinal Flower
Chayote
In French
Cardinal Flower
Chayote
In Spanish
Cardinal Flower
Chayote
In Greek
Καρδινάλιος λουλούδι
Chayote
In Portuguese
Cardinal Flower
chuchu
In Polish
Cardinal Flower
Chayote
In Latin
Cardinalis Flower
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Violales
Family
Lobeliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Lobelia
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Lobelioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
565
1
27800
👆🏻