Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Australia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
710
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Littoral rainforest, Near Estuaries
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Orange, Light Yellow, Orange Red, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Pinnate
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
Medium
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
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Frost, Pollution, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Reduce water once established, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Less Watering
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
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Borers
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Frost, Pollution, Salt
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for birds, Nesting sites for birds, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Used to establish native woodland
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Tree trunks
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as firewood, Wood is used fore making tools, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CUPANIOPSIS anacardioides
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Tuckeroo, Green leaved tamarind
In Hindi
Chayote
Carrotwood ट्री
In German
Chayote
Carrotwood Baum
In French
Chayote
Carrotwood Arbre
In Spanish
Chayote
Árbol carrotwood
In Greek
Chayote
Carrotwood Δέντρο
In Portuguese
chuchu
Árvore Carrotwood
In Polish
Chayote
Carrotwood Drzewo
In Latin
chayote
Carrotwood ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Sapindales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Sapindaceae
Genus
Sechium
Cupaniopsis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Sapindoideae
Number of Species
54
1
27800
👆🏻