Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Europe
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
76
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
dry rocky watercourses
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm71.10 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Blue Violet, Lavender, Purple, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Lanceolate to elliptical
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
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, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Rhizome division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs
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, Partial Sun
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
Aphids, Bacterial leaf spot, Billbugs, Borers, Fungal leaf spots
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Gastric disturbances, Skin irritation
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
Juice of fresh root used for treatment of dropsy
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Root
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Making Perfumes, Used as a flavouring in food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Iris germanica
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
German Iris
In Hindi
Chayote
German Iris
In German
Chayote
German Iris
In French
Chayote
German Iris
In Spanish
Chayote
German Iris
In Greek
Chayote
German Iris
In Portuguese
chuchu
German Iris
In Polish
Chayote
German Iris
In Latin
chayote
German Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Asparagales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Sechium
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Irideae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
5300
1
27800
👆🏻