Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Russia, Siberia, China, Japan
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Iris ensata, Iris japonica
Number of Varieties
760
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Boggy areas, gardens, meadows, Shores of rivers or lakes
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, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Lavender, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do Not over Water, Water Deeply, Water slowly, and allow to dry completely between soakings, Water twice a day in the initial period
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Red blotch, Rhizome rot, Slugs, Snails, Viruses
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Full Sun, Variety of soil types
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Bees, Butterflies, Flies, Snails
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Bog Garden, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, 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
Alterative, Anthelmintic, Antidote, Appetizer, Depurative, Diuretic, Hepatitis
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Basketary, Fibre
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
IRIS ensata
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Iris
Japanese iris
In Hindi
Chayote
Japanese iris
In German
Chayote
Japanese iris
In French
Chayote
iris Xapanese
In Spanish
Chayote
Iris Xapanese
In Greek
Chayote
ιαπωνική ίριδα
In Portuguese
chuchu
íris japonesa
In Polish
Chayote
japońskie iris
In Latin
chayote
Iris Italica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Asparagales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Sechium
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
560
1
27800
👆🏻