Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
7220
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Maritime Rocks, Stone and Masonry fences and walls
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-3
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, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm40.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Long linear and narrow
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
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires regular 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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
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
Prune in flowering season, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Caterpillars, Slugs, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Agroforestry
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Asthma, Bronchitis, Diarrhea
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Alpine, Edging, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
IBERIS sempervirens
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Candytuft
In Hindi
Chayote
Candytuft
In German
Chayote
Schleifenblume
In French
Chayote
candytuft
In Spanish
Chayote
candytuft
In Greek
Chayote
candytuft
In Portuguese
chuchu
ibero
In Polish
Chayote
candytuft
In Latin
chayote
Coleus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Brassicales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Brassicaceae
Genus
Sechium
Iberis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
550
1
27800
👆🏻