Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Herbs
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Herb
Number of Varieties
720
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
gardens, Grassland, Hillside, meadows
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Do not prune during shooting season, Prune regularly, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Bees
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
constipation, Diarrhea, Headache, Kidney problems, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for fragrance
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
OCIMUM 'African Blue'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
African Blue Basil, Hybrid Basil
In Hindi
Chayote
अफ्रीकी ब्लू तुलसी
In German
Chayote
African Blue Basilikum
In French
Chayote
Bleu basilic africaine
In Spanish
Chayote
Albahaca azul africana
In Greek
Chayote
Αφρικής Μπλε βασιλικό
In Portuguese
chuchu
Africano manjericão azul
In Polish
Chayote
Afrykański Niebieski bazylią
In Latin
chayote
अफ्रीकी ब्लू तुलसी
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Lamiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Sechium
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Basal Tricolpates
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
51
1
27800
👆🏻