Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Number of Varieties
7150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1511-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Red, Green, Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Damp
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Ample Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Damp
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Provides ground cover, Soil protection, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Asthma, Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Liver Protection, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Coleus, Painted nettle
In Hindi
Chayote
Coleus
In German
Chayote
Buntnessel
In French
Chayote
Vieux garçon
In Spanish
Chayote
coleo
In Greek
Chayote
Coleus
In Portuguese
chuchu
cóleus
In Polish
Chayote
Coleus
In Latin
chayote
Coleus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Lamiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Sechium
Coleus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5150
1
27800
👆🏻