Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
720
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, 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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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 branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
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
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
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, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
Chayote
Butterfly tree
In German
Chayote
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
Chayote
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
Chayote
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Chayote
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
chuchu
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Chayote
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
chayote
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Fabales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Sechium
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
Cercideae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
5500
1
27800
👆🏻