Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Grass
Origin
Mexico, Central America
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
74
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
meadows, Prairies, Riverbanks, Roadsides, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-152-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
7 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm38.10 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm152.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Blue Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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
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
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, 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
-
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes, Food for animals
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Wildflower
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
ANDROPOGON gerardii
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Big Bluestem, Turkey Foot
In Hindi
Chayote
Big Bluestem grass
In German
Chayote
Große Bartgras
In French
Chayote
Barbon de Gérard herbe
In Spanish
Chayote
hierba andropogon grande
In Greek
Chayote
Big BLUESTEM γρασίδι
In Portuguese
chuchu
Vetiver grande grama
In Polish
Chayote
Big Bluestem trawa
In Latin
chayote
Big bluestem herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lillosida
Order
Violales
Poaceae
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Sechium
Andropogon
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5150
1
27800
👆🏻