Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southwestern United States
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Baccharis sarothroides
Number of Varieties
710
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
riparian zones, Semi desert, Upland
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
creamy white
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Oblanceolate , Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought, Dry soil, Heat Tolerance
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs very little water
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut back old stems to the ground, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Heat And Humidity
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, cholesterol-lowering
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Twigs
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Can be made into a herbal tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Groundcover
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
BACCHARIS 'Centennial'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
desert broom , broom baccharis , greasewood
In Hindi
Chayote
desert broom
In German
Chayote
Wüste Besen
In French
Chayote
desert broom
In Spanish
Chayote
escoba del desierto
In Greek
Chayote
desert broom
In Portuguese
chuchu
vassoura do deserto
In Polish
Chayote
desert broom
In Latin
chayote
desert broom
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Asterales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Sechium
Baccharis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Astereae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
58
1
27800
👆🏻