Life Span
Perennial
-
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southern Africa, South Africa
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Shrub
Number of Varieties
736
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Forest margins, Grassland, Mountains, Pastures, Rocky Ridges, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Light Green, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Use and maintain water-efficient soaker hoses, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather, Water Deeply
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
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
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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds
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
Diarrhea, Dysentry
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Employed in herbal medicine, Used as a dye, Used as a spice, Used in paper industry, Wood is used for making furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
RHUS lancea
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
African Sumac
In Hindi
Chayote
अफ्रीकी एक प्रकार का पौधा
In German
Chayote
African sumac
In French
Chayote
sumac africaine
In Spanish
Chayote
zumaque africano
In Greek
Chayote
Αφρικανική σουμάκι
In Portuguese
chuchu
sumac africano
In Polish
Chayote
afrykański sumaka
In Latin
chayote
African sumac
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Violales
Sapindales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Anacardiaceae
Genus
Sechium
Rhus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Anacardioideae
Number of Species
536
1
27800
👆🏻