Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Nules , Nadorcott
Number of Varieties
72
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Cold Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Red, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Acuminate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
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
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought, Light Frost
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do not let dry out between waterings, Keep the Soil well drained, Requires consistently moist soil
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
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Equal amount of N,P,K
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Black sooty mold, Citrus canker
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Light 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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Mouth itching, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Cottage Garden, Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Digestive, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Added to salads, Culinary use
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CITRUS reticulata
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Clementine, Mandarin, Tangerine
In Hindi
Chayote
clementine
In German
Chayote
Clementine
In French
Chayote
Citrus clementina
In Spanish
Chayote
Citrus x clementina
In Greek
Chayote
clementine
In Portuguese
chuchu
clementine
In Polish
Chayote
clementine
In Latin
chayote
clementine
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Sapindales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Sechium
Citrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
52
1
27800
👆🏻