Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Mediterranean, Western Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Adriatic Fig, Brown Turkey Fig, King Fig
Number of Varieties
76
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Mountain Slopes, Tropical regions, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-6
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow, Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Maple shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
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
Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs watering once a week, Requires regular watering
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
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Prune when young
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize in early spring, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Birds, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
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
Bees, Birds, Rats
Allergy
-
Diarrhea, Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
For treating wrinkles, Glowing Skin, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Agroforestry, Shadow Tree, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Acne, Anemia, Asthma, constipation, Diabetes, Liver problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
FICUS carica 'Kadota'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Fig, Kadota Fig
In Hindi
Chayote
अंजीर
In German
Chayote
Feige
In French
Chayote
figue
In Spanish
Chayote
higo
In Greek
Chayote
Σύκο
In Portuguese
chuchu
Figura
In Polish
Chayote
Figa
In Latin
chayote
Fig
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Rosales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Moraceae
Genus
Sechium
Ficus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
Ficeae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5750
1
27800
👆🏻