Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Castanea pumila
Number of Varieties
78
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Hillside, Ridges
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Light Yellow, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Light Green, Chartreuse
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Yellow, Gold, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Elliptic
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
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Requires watering in the growing season, Water once every two or three weeks
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
Clay, Loam
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 in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds, Deers, Rabbits, Squirrels
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Headache, Treating fever
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used in biomass, Wood is used for making furniture, Wood log is used in making fences
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CASTANEA pumila
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Chinquapin
In Hindi
Chayote
बौना शाहबलूत
In German
Chayote
Zwergkastanien
In French
Chayote
châtaignier nain
In Spanish
Chayote
el castaño enano
In Greek
Chayote
νάνος καστανιάς
In Portuguese
chuchu
νάνος καστανιάς
In Polish
Chayote
krasnolud kasztan
In Latin
chayote
P. castaneis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Anthophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Fagales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Fagaceae
Genus
Sechium
Castanea
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
Cherokee
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Cassidinae
Number of Species
56
1
27800
👆🏻