Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
725
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Rocky areas, Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Blue, Purple, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Needle like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Divison, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs more water during establishment, Requires regular watering
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
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune after flowering, Prune in summer
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
General garden fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Caterpillars, Crown rot, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Leafminers, Nematodes, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Rust, Southern blight, Yellow Leaves
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
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Bouquets, 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
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Cutflower, Edging, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Phlox subulata
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Creeping Phlox
In Hindi
Chayote
जीव एक प्रकार का पौधा
In German
Chayote
kriechend Phlox
In French
Chayote
phlox rampant
In Spanish
Chayote
rastrero phlox
In Greek
Chayote
υφέρπουσα phlox
In Portuguese
chuchu
rastejar phlox
In Polish
Chayote
pełzanie floks
In Latin
chayote
Phlox serpentium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Solanales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Polemoniaceae
Genus
Sechium
Phlox
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
567
1
27800
👆🏻