Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mexico, Central America
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Echinocactus parryi, Echinocactus texensis
Number of Varieties
750
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Desert, Gravels, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
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
Yellow, Magenta
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
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
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in summer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Mealybugs, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites
Allergy
-
Skin cuts
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
ECHINOCACTUS
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Golden barrel cactus, Golden ball
In Hindi
Chayote
echinocactus
In German
Chayote
echinocactus
In French
Chayote
echinocactus
In Spanish
Chayote
echinocactus
In Greek
Chayote
Echinocactus
In Portuguese
chuchu
Echinocactus
In Polish
Chayote
Echinocactus
In Latin
chayote
Echinocactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Sechium
Echinocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Cacteae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
511
1
27800
👆🏻