Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Honeylocust, Blacklocust
Number of Varieties
72
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Moist Soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-1
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, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm15.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm12.30 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Red, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
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
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
occasional watering once established
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
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
Prune in late summer or fall, Prune in late winter, Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
20-10-10, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Annosus Root Rot, Canker, Flatheaded borers, Foliage-feeding caterpillars, Oldman longhorn, Powdery mildew, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Flooding, Heat Tolerance, Salt
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Cattle and horses
Allergy
-
Mild Allergen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Glowing Skin, Good for skin, Improve hair condition, Improve skin condition, Skin inflammation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals, Shadow Tree, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Soil protection
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
anti-cancer, Antimutagenic, Rheumatoid arthritis
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Pulp, Seeds, Wood
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Animal Feed, As Fertilizers, Cattle Fodder, Traditional medicine
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
GLEDITSIA triacanthos
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Honeylocust
In Hindi
Chayote
हनी टिड्डी
In German
Chayote
Honig Locust
In French
Chayote
févier
In Spanish
Chayote
langosta de miel
In Greek
Chayote
μέλι ακρίδων
In Portuguese
chuchu
picar Lokyst
In Polish
Chayote
kłuć Lokyst
In Latin
chayote
MOVEO Lokyst
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Fabales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Sechium
Gleditsia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
512
1
27800
👆🏻