Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
7-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
open Woodlands, sandy seeps
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-6
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow, Red, Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Black, Dark Brown, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
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
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Hardwood Cuttings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do not water excessively, Does not require lot of 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Dry soil, Pests and diseases, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Semi-Double
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Bog Garden
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Antirheumatic, Black Dyes, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Fibre, Repellent, Used as a dye, Used to make baskets, brooms, hats
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CYTISUS 'Lena'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Broom
In Hindi
Chayote
Broom
In German
Chayote
Besen
In French
Chayote
balai
In Spanish
Chayote
escoba
In Greek
Chayote
σκούπα
In Portuguese
chuchu
vassoura
In Polish
Chayote
miotła
In Latin
chayote
iuniperorum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Fabales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Sechium
Cytisus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
550
1
27800
👆🏻