Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Herbs
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Europe, Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Nepeta cataria
Number of Varieties
720
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Dry areas, Roadsides, stream banks, Stream side, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
7-1
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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm980.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought, Dry soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
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, Alkaline
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
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune in spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Caterpillars, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Frost
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
Flying insects, Insects, Spider Mites
Allergy
-
Avoid during Pregnancy, Headache, Stomach pain, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Arthritis, Cold, constipation, Fever, Insomia, Migraines, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Making Perfumes, Making Shampoo, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Medicinal oil, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
NEPETA cataria
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Cat Nip, Catnip
In Hindi
Chayote
कटनीप
In German
Chayote
Katzenminze
In French
Chayote
cataire
In Spanish
Chayote
Catnip
In Greek
Chayote
Είδος δυόσμου
In Portuguese
chuchu
catnip
In Polish
Chayote
Kocimiętka
In Latin
chayote
catnip
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Lamiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Sechium
Nepeta
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Mentheae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
5250
1
27800
👆🏻