Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Mediterranean, Turkey, Africa, Southern Asia, Western Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
3
Number of Varieties
73
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 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 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow, Green, Bronze, Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Sea Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Sea Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Sea Green, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Small oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
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, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought, Frost
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Medium, Requires a lot of watering, 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
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost
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
Insects
Allergy
-
Constipation, Legume allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
constipation, High cholestrol, Kidney problems, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CICER arietinum
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Bengal Gram, Chickpea , Garbanzo Bean, Indian Pea
In Hindi
Chayote
चना
In German
Chayote
Kichererbse
In French
Chayote
Pois chiche
In Spanish
Chayote
Garbanzo
In Greek
Chayote
Ρεβίθι
In Portuguese
chuchu
grão de bico
In Polish
Chayote
Groch włoski
In Latin
chayote
CICER
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Spermatophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Fabales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Sechium
Cicer
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
Viceae Alef
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Papilionoideae
Number of Species
590
1
27800
👆🏻