Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit, Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Phyllanthus emblica
Number of Varieties
75
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Forests, gardens, Hill prairies, Homesteads, Rocky areas, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm800.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm400.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Light Green, Lime Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Yellow, Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Yellow, Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Yellow, Green, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
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
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather
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, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Do not prune during shooting season, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
High Potash Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Bacterial Blight, Foliage-feeding caterpillars, Moth
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Pollution, Salt and Soil Compaction
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Caterpillar
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Blood purifying, Glowing Skin, Good for skin and hair, Provides herbal hair care, Speed hair growth
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Atherosclerosis, Cancer, Diabetes, Diarrhea, High blood pressure, High cholestrol, Obesity, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Making Shampoo, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Cottage garden
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Phyllanthus emblica
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Indian Gooseberry, Amla , Awala
In Hindi
Chayote
आमला
In German
Chayote
Stachelbeere
In French
Chayote
Groseille à maquereau
In Spanish
Chayote
Grosella
In Greek
Chayote
Φραγκοστάφυλλο
In Portuguese
chuchu
Groselha
In Polish
Chayote
Agrest
In Latin
chayote
hominem
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Malpighiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Phyllanthaceae
Genus
Sechium
Phyllanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
Phyllantheae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5300
1
27800
👆🏻