Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Grass
Origin
Mexico, Central America
China, Japan
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Slender Weavers Bamboo, Golden Buddha's Belly Bamboo, Painted Bamboo
Number of Varieties
71
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Subtropical climates, Subtropical forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12 - 9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm152.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm5.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Linear
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
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
Cut the culms, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
-
Flowers
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies, Mites
Allergy
-
Pollen, Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Good for skin and hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Healthy teeth, Pain in gums
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Sap, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Container, Espalier, Screen, Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Screening / Wind Break, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
BAMBUSA ventricosa
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Buddha's Belly Bamboo, Clumping Bamboo, Ventricose Bamboo
In Hindi
Chayote
बुद्ध के पेट बांस
In German
Chayote
Buddhas Bauch Bambus
In French
Chayote
Le Bamboo Belly de Bouddha
In Spanish
Chayote
De bambú del vientre de Buda
In Greek
Chayote
Κοιλιά Μπαμπού Βούδα
In Portuguese
chuchu
Bamboo barriga de Buda
In Polish
Chayote
Buddy Belly Bamboo
In Latin
chayote
Buddha ventre Bamboo
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Poales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Sechium
Bambusa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Bambuseae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Bambusoideae
Number of Species
51
1
27800
👆🏻