Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Starfruit
Number of Varieties
72
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-14
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
11-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Pink, Rose, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow, Orange, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Frost
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize every year
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Kidney Stone
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, High blood pressure, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
AVERRHOA carambola
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Carambola, Starfruit
In Hindi
Chayote
carambola पेड़
In German
Chayote
Sternfrucht Baum
In French
Chayote
arbre carambole
In Spanish
Chayote
árbol de carambola
In Greek
Chayote
carambola δέντρο
In Portuguese
chuchu
árvore de carambola
In Polish
Chayote
karambola drzewo
In Latin
chayote
carambola ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Oxalidales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Oxalidaceae
Genus
Sechium
Averrhoa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5180
1
27800
👆🏻