Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Brazil
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
73
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Coastal Mountains, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Red, Orange, Pink, Salmon
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Pink
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
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
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
Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-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
Loam, Sand
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Semi-Double
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
Eye irritation, sneezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Landscape Designing, 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
Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Christmas Tree, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
SCHLUMBERGERA truncata
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
False Christmas Cactus
In Hindi
Chayote
False Christmas Cactus
In German
Chayote
False Christmas Cactus
In French
Chayote
Cactus de Noël
In Spanish
Chayote
cactus de navidad
In Greek
Chayote
False Christmas Cactus
In Portuguese
chuchu
flor de maio
In Polish
Chayote
Szlumbergera ucięta
In Latin
chayote
False Christmas Cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Sechium
Schlumbergera
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Rhipsalideae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
51
1
27800
👆🏻