Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
Europe, Asia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Nepeta cataria
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
207
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Roadsides, stream banks, Stream side, Waste areas
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-710-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
980.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Lavender
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Sandy Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, 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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune in spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, fertilize in growing season
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Caterpillars, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes, Spider mites
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Frost
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Flying insects, Insects, Spider Mites
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Headache, Stomach pain, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Cold, constipation, Fever, Insomia, Migraines, Upset stomach
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Making Perfumes, Making Shampoo, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Medicinal oil, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
NEPETA cataria
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Cat Nip, Catnip
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
कटनीप
Chayote
In German
Katzenminze
Chayote
In French
cataire
Chayote
In Spanish
Catnip
Chayote
In Greek
Είδος δυόσμου
Chayote
In Portuguese
catnip
chuchu
In Polish
Kocimiętka
Chayote
In Latin
catnip
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Lamiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Nepeta
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Mentheae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
2505
1
27800
👆🏻