Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
720
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
All sorts of environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
10 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Grafting, Hardwood Cuttings, Root Plants, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Adequately
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Prune for size control
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Bacterial Gall, Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
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
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
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
Eye Problems, Sore Eyes
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Foundation, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
ARDISIA crenata
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Coralberry
In Hindi
Chayote
Coralberry
In German
Chayote
Coralberry
In French
Chayote
Coralberry
In Spanish
Chayote
Coralberry
In Greek
Chayote
Coralberry
In Portuguese
chuchu
Coralberry
In Polish
Chayote
Coralberry
In Latin
chayote
Coralberry
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Ericales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Myrsinaceae
Genus
Sechium
Ardisia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
530
1
27800
👆🏻